Beehive cookies with Matcha cream are a playful twist on the classic Czech cookie known as Včelí úly. Traditional beehives are made from ground nuts and sugar and are commonly filled with eggnog or rum buttercream. In this version I add a touch of Matcha powder to bring a vibrant color and a subtle green tea note to the buttery filling.
What are Beehive cookies
Beehives, or Včelí úly in Czech, are a traditional holiday cookie shaped like a small hive. The classic version combines finely ground nuts with confectioners’ sugar and egg white; the mixture is packed into a small beehive mold rather than baked. After shaping, each hive is filled and placed on a round base such as a Linzer cookie or a vanilla wafer. The traditional filling often includes butter, sugar and a splash of rum, but here I substitute a Matcha-scented buttercream for a fresh, modern flavor.
These cookies are attractive and compact, making them ideal for gift boxes or as part of a festive cookie platter. The Matcha filling adds a vivid green contrast to the nut-brown hive body and pairs surprisingly well with the rich walnut base.
Ingredients for Matcha beehives
- Ground walnuts
- Confectioner’s sugar
- Pasteurized egg white (or a small egg white)
- Cocoa powder
- Round vanilla wafers or Linzer cookie rounds
- Unsalted butter (softened)
- Rum (optional)
- Matcha powder
Overview: how to make these cookies
You’ll assemble each cookie from three components: the beehive body (no-bake nut dough pressed into a mold), the base round (a vanilla wafer or a Linzer-style cookie), and a Matcha buttercream filling. Below I describe each component step by step and explain the most efficient sequence so your assembly is smooth.
Prepare the base cookies or wafers
The easiest option is to buy round vanilla wafers. If you prefer homemade, use a Linzer-style cookie dough rolled and cut into small rounds. If you make Linzer cookies, you only need about 20 rounds for this recipe, so prepare a reduced batch accordingly.
No-bake beehive dough
This dough requires no baking and is quick to bring together. In a medium bowl combine the ground walnuts, confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder. Add one small egg white and a teaspoon of dark rum (or a splash of milk if you prefer). Stir with a wooden spatula until the mixture starts to come together, then knead briefly by hand until it forms a cohesive dough.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Cooling firms the mixture and makes it easier to press into the beehive mold. When the dough is chilled, lightly dust the mold with confectioner’s sugar, press a small piece of dough into each cavity, remove any excess, and create a small hole in the center with your finger or a small tool. Gently open the mold to release the shaped beehive. Expect to make about 20 beehives from the quantities below.
Matcha buttercream
For the filling, beat softened unsalted butter with confectioner’s sugar until smooth and creamy. Add one tablespoon of Matcha powder and blend until evenly incorporated. Adjust sweetness by adding more confectioner’s sugar if you like. Finally stir in one tablespoon of rum or milk to achieve a spreadable, pipeable consistency. The result is a silky, pale-green cream with a delicate Matcha aroma.
Assembling the beehive cookies
Spoon the Matcha buttercream into a piping bag and cut a 1/4-inch opening. Pipe a small mound of cream into each beehive cavity and a matching dollop onto each wafer or Linzer round. Set the filled hive gently on top of the base. Finish by dusting a little extra Matcha powder over the assembled cookies for color and a hint of extra flavor.
More Christmas cookie ideas
- Walnut crescents with chocolate buttercream
- Linzer cookies (classic jam-filled rounds)
- Coconut macaroons
- Mini Florentines
- Hazelnut crescents
This recipe is presented for home baking and holiday gifting. Measurements and flavors can be adjusted to taste.
BEEHIVE COOKIES WITH MATCHA CREAM
Julia
30 mins
30 mins
1 hr
Christmas cookies
Czech
20 cookies
150 kcal
Equipment
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Beehive mold
Ingredients
For the no-bake beehive dough
- 150 g ground walnuts
- 200 g confectioner sugar
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- 1 small egg white
- 1 tsp rum dark, optional
For the base
- 20 round vanilla wafers or Linzer rounds
For the Matcha cream
- 90 g unsalted butter softened
- 60 g confectioner sugar
- 1 tbsp Matcha powder
- 1 tbsp rum or milk
For decoration
- 1 tbsp Matcha powder
Instructions
For the no-bake beehive dough
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In a medium bowl, combine ground walnuts, confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder. Stir with a wooden spatula, then add the egg white and rum. Mix until the dough begins to hold together, finishing by kneading briefly with your hands if needed.
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Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. A chilled mixture will be firmer and easier to shape in the mold.
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Dust the beehive mold with confectioner’s sugar, press small portions of dough into each cavity, remove excess and make a central hollow with your finger. Open the mold and release the shaped beehive. Continue until all dough is used.
For the Matcha cream
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Beat softened butter with confectioner’s sugar until creamy. Add Matcha powder and continue mixing until the color and flavor are evenly distributed. Stir in rum or milk a little at a time to reach a smooth, pipeable consistency.
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Fill a piping bag with the Matcha buttercream and cut a 1/4-inch opening. Pipe a small amount into each beehive and onto each wafer base. Place the filled hive on the base and dust lightly with Matcha powder before serving or packaging.
beehive cookies, honey cookies, matcha powder
Note: this recipe can be adjusted for allergies and preferences. For a dairy-free option use plant-based butter and a milk substitute; for a non-alcoholic version substitute rum with milk or a flavored extract. Store assembled cookies in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a week, or freeze the unassembled beehives and assemble when ready for serving.