Red Velvet Cookies with Matcha Icing

Important life update: I've found a hair stylist that I love. It's been YEARS since my man Peter moved away and ever since my bangs have been a crazy mess. But today Si fixed it all and it's the first haircut I've had in a very long time that didn't try and "fix" to choppy, ridiculous results. Yaay!

Also, I saw a circus on Friday at the New Vic which was just wonderful and I remembered that I secretly want to be a clown when I grow up. Not like a Bozo clown, but like Bill Irwin. Luckily no one was around to watch me bake cookies and sing Christmas songs while trying out comedic takes. Except maybe my corgi, Beejay. I'm sure I looked like Buddy the Elf meets Ina Garten meets Cosmo Kramer and it would have been horrifying for a person to have witnessed that. 

The great haircut and creative inspiration prompted me to make some very tasty red velvet cookies with matcha icing, though!

As a kid, my mom and my grandmother always made this dessert on Christmas--they'd layer cherry Jell-O on top of pistachio pudding in little glasses. When you dug into the Jell-O, through to the pudding layer, and then pulled your spoon back out, you'd have red and green layers right next to each other in perfect Christmas harmony.

These cookies reminded me of how much I loved that treat--not only the colors, but also the unexpected flavors that tasted so natural next to each other. The same goes for red velvet and matcha. These cookies are festive and different and not-to-sweet. And they look great laid out on a plate for Santa!

Red Velvet Cookies with Matcha Icing

• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 20 drops red food coloring
• 1 cup flour
• pinch sea salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

For the Icing

• 1/2 cup white chocolate
• 1 tsp matcha
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• sprinkles

Cooking Directions

1. Using your mixer's beater attachment, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
2. Add in egg, milk and food coloring. Beat well to combine.
3. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder. Add 1/3 of dry mixture to butter mixture. Beat to combine. Repeat twice more, adding in another third of the mixture each time.
4. Scrape out dough onto a large piece of wax paper. Cover with another piece of wax paper. Pat dough down until it's a uniform height. Use a rolling pin and continue to roll out dough between pieces of wax paper until about half an inch thick.
5. Transfer dough to freezer and chill for 2 hours.
6. When time to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough from freezer and using a cookie cutter, cut out cookies and transfer to lined cookie sheet. When you have filled cookie sheets, place them in oven.
7. Replace remaining dough to freezer while cookies bake for about 8 - 10 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove cookies from oven, let cool slightly and then transfer to a cooling rack.
8. Continue with remaining dough, until all of it's used up!
9. When all cookies are baked and cool, begin your matcha ganache. Place white chocolate, matcha, and water in a bowl over a double boiler. Stir every few minutes with a rubber spatula, until mixture is melted and smooth. Add more warm water if the matcha causes the chocolate to seize.
10. Dip cookies in icing and then replace to drying rack. While it's still wet, top with sprinkles as desired! Allow glaze to cool and harden and then serve.