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Greetings hive foodies. Though it wasn’t loved at first sip, I have come to appreciate - even love - the grassy, earthy flavor of matcha.

The first time I ever tasted it was in a coffee shop somewhere in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. At that time matcha was (and still is) a big hype, so I ordered a matcha latte to see what all the fuss was about.

It was bitter, disgusting and it left me confused. Why was everybody raving about something that tastes horrendous? Well, people are weird like that I thought.

A few months ago, however, there was a contest on hive listing matcha as a to-use ingredient. Again, I was confronted with people raving about the health benefits and the amazing flavor.

Because everything in life deserves a second chance, I decided to give matcha another go. The end verdict, prob the coffee shop didn't know what they were doing. Matcha indeed has a lovely flavor when used in the right amount.

Ever since I made those MATCHA CHIA POWER CUPS for the Plant Power cooking contest (see pic below), I have been experimenting with it in multiple dishes.

One matcha recipe that quickly became a family favorite is the matcha cookies I am sharing today. They are vegan and grain-free. Plus, they are so easy and fast to make.

The perfect sweet, healthy treat that fits our diet.

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WHAT IS MATCHA?

Just like green tea, matcha powder is made from the young leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What makes it so different from green tea?

Matcha farmers cover their plants 20-30 days before harvest. Avoiding direct sunlight on the leaves increases chlorophyll production, boosts the amino acid content, and gives the plant a darker green hue. It also suppresses the formation of catechins, giving matcha tea a milder, less bitter taste compared to green tea.

After the leaves are harvested, stems and veins are removed and the leaves are ground into a fine powder.

Since you are consuming the actual tea leaves, matcha provides the same health benefits of green tea and then some. You get about twice the amount of the antioxidant EGCG than you would from drinking regular green tea.

Matcha contains a concentrated amount of antioxidants, which reduces cell damage and may help prevent chronic disease, premature aging, and cancer. Furthermore, matcha has also shown positive effects on liver health, weight management, and heart health.

Plus, it also contains caffeine and L-theanine, which can improve alertness and brain function.

We clearly need more matcha lattes and matcha cookies in our life, right?

MATCHA CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (V, GF) - THE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS (MAKES 12-14 COOKIES)

¼ cup vegan dark chocolate chips

Dry ingredients

2 cups ground almond or almond flour
1-1.5 T matcha powder
½ tsp baking powder

FYI: I used ground almonds instead of almond flour which results in a coarse cookie. Almond flour might give you a smoother result. I used ground almonds as this is the only thing we can find here in Cambodia but if you have almond flour I am absolutely sure you can make these cookies too.

Dry ingredients

¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup coconut oil
½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)

FYI: I kinda always forget to mention this in my recipes, but depending on where you live coconut oil might be solid, so you will need to melt it first. I live in the tropics, so it hardly ever happens that our coconut oil needs to be melted. The melting point of coconut oil is around 25C or 77F.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 160C (325F).

Add all dry ingredients to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix well.

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Add maple syrup, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Using a fork or your hands, combine until you have a sticky dough ball.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

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Grease your hands with oil. Take about 1.5-2 tbsps of dough and roll into a small ball. Place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Space balls a few centimeters apart.