Fit a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed. You may need to scrape down the bowl a few times. The mixture should be completely combined and whipped.

Add lemon zest, egg, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Mix on a medium speed to combine.

Add the ground tea, flour, baking powder, and salt. Begin the mixer on low to slowly incorporate the ingredients and to avoid a flour cloud! Mix for a less than a minute, until the dough begins to form and there is no visible flour remaining. The dough should be slightly pliable.

If the dough is still overly sticky (sticking to your hands like goo) mix in flour, a tablespoon at a time, and knead the dough by hand. This will ensure your dough does not become too dry or overworked.

Remove the dough from the bowl, gently press the dough together. Split the dough in half and form each piece into a very flat disc. Cover each disk thoroughly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours. The dough can rest in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Remove dough from the fridge and let it rest wrapped on the counter, until the dough is no longer hard and chilled. This can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes.

On a well floured surface, gently roll out the dough until 1/8-1/4 inch thick. You may need to reflour the surface if the dough begins to stick. Be sure to pay attention that your dough is even in thickness. You can tell by running your hand over the dough, your hands will notice if there are any bumps, waves, or changes.

Using a 2.5 inch cookie cutter, cut out your cookies. Gather the scraps into a ball, roll the dough out and cut out more cookies. Repeat this process until you have none to little scrap remaining.

If you want to make sandwich cookies, take half of your cookies and stamp out a smaller circle in the middle of them. These will be your cookie "tops".

Place your cookies on a tray lined with parchment paper and freeze them for 5-10 minutes until firm. This will help the cookies keep their shape better while baking.

Place your cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-15 minutes until the edges turn slightly golden brown.

Let cookies cool completely.

If you are making sandwich cookies: place 1 teaspoon of quality apricot preserves on a cookie "bottom" (one with no hole) and place a cookie with lid on top.

Serve with a cup of tea and enjoy!

This cookie tastes better the next day! Store in a tight fitting glass jar for up to five days. If they are filled with jam, cookies should be kept in the fridge.