Pot of Gold Cookies

This is a sponsored post by Challenge, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible! 

I developed this recipe for matcha cookies with a caramel center in order to be festive for St. Patrick’s Day. Matcha gives baked goods a lovely natural green hue, so I thought it would be the perfect fit!

Matcha originates from Japan. It’s essentially green tea leaves that are ground into a fine powder. It’s used to make drinks, but it can also be used to give baked goods a subtle green tea flavor.

Two of the most important things to know about matcha are it can have a strong flavor and it is very bitter. That is why it’s very important to use matcha in moderation and to balance it out with something sweet. 

It is important to use high-quality matcha powder in order for your baked goods to maintain their lovely green color. I use universal grade or ceremonial grade matcha powder. Even though it’s pricier than culinary grade matcha powder, a little goes a long way, so it should las you a while. You will see in the recipe that I only use two teaspoons of matcha powder. You can test a small sample of the dough before baking to decide if that’s enough matcha flavoring. If you want a stronger flavor, add another half teaspoon and continue to adjust as needed.

This is a sponsored post by Challenge butter, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible! 

I balanced the bitterness of the matcha with a sweet caramel center that is the “pot of gold” in these St. Patrick’s Day cookies. I recommend using a firm caramel like Werther's Original Chewy Caramels or Kraft Candy Caramels. Softer caramels will melt into the cookies as they bake.

I also added Funfetti chips and Lucky Charms marshmallows to the dough, but that’s optional.

I used the standard creaming method to make these cookies, which means I creamed the butter and sugar together until it increased in volume and looked pale yellow, light, and fluffy. This takes anywhere between 3 and 5 minutes on medium high speed.

In order to properly execute the creaming method, your butter and your eggs must be room temperature. I like to set me ingredients on the counter about an hour before I start baking in order to bring them to room temperature. “Room temperature” is not the same as “warm.” It should still be slightly cool, and when you poke it with your finger, it should leave an indent. But your finger shouldn’t sink in.

I only use Challenge unsalted butter for these cookies. Challenge butter is churned daily from the freshest 100% real pasteurized sweet cream. There are no hormones, additives, or fillers. 

Once you make the dough, use a cookie scoop to portion out the cookies and roll the caramels into balls as best as possible before covering them in dough. Then refrigerate the cookies for at least one hour (up to two days) or freeze the cookies for 15 minutes. If you want to decorate the tops with marshmallows and Funfetti chips, do it before you freeze the dough.

The cookies are best served warm from the oven so the caramel center is melty and gooey. I recommend heating up cooled cookies in the microwave for about 7 seconds before eating in order to warm the caramel.

Pot of Gold Cookies

Yield: 24 cookies

Time: About 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 270 grams (2 1/4 cups) all purpose flour
• 4 grams (2 teaspoons) matcha powder
• 3 grams (1 teaspoon) kosher salt
• 4.8 grams (1 teaspoon) baking soda
• 2.4 grams (1/2 teaspoon) baking powder
• 170 grams (3/4 cup) Challenge unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 200 grams (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 107 grams (1/2 cup) light brown sugar
• 1 large egg (50 grams)
• 1 egg yolk (15 grams)
• 4 grams (1 teaspoon) vanilla bean paste (substitute vanilla extract if unavailable)
• 112 grams (1 cup) Funfetti chips (substitute white chocolate chips if unavailable)
• 20 caramels, unwrapped (I used Werther's Original Chewy Caramels)
• Optional: Lucky Charms marshmallows

Directions

1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
2. Mix flour, matcha powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in bowl. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and both sugars on high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture is pale yellow and appears light and fluffy.
4. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla bean paste and mix until fully incorporated.
5. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix on low until just combined.
6. Stir in Funfetti chips by hand.
7. Portion dough into rounded tablespoon (I used a #30 cookie scoop, which is about 2 tablespoons) and press one caramel into the center of the dough.
8. Cover caramel with dough and roll into ball. If decorating with Lucky Charms marshmallows, this is the time to press the marshmallows in the dough.
9. Place dough on prepared baking sheets and refrigerate for 2 hours. 15 minutes before dough is ready, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Remove dough from refrigerator and place in oven. Bake until edges turn golden brown, about 9 to 10 minutes.
11. Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack to cool completely.
12. Store cookies in airtight container at room temperature.

TIP: For softer caramel bite, microwave cooled cookies for 7 seconds before eating.