Description
These Chai Sugar Cookies are a delightful twist on classic sugar cookies, infused with warming chai spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and a touch of black pepper. Soft and fluffy with a spiced sugar coating, they offer a perfect balance of sweetness and aromatic spice, ideal for cozy gatherings or festive occasions.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup Butter (softened)
- 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 2 1/2 cups Flour (for slightly thicker cookie use 2 2/3 cups)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoons Chai Spice Blend (see below)
Chai Spice Blend
- 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon (total for blend)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Cardamom
- 1 teaspoon Ginger
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves (use as preferred for intensity)
- 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
- Pinch Black Pepper
Coating
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Chai Spice Blend (from above)
Instructions
- Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and sugar on medium-high speed for about 4 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Continue to cream the mixture for an additional minute until fully blended and smooth.
- Prepare Chai Spice Blend: In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and a pinch of black pepper to create the chai spice blend used in the dough.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Stir together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and 2 teaspoons of the prepared chai spice blend. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, stirring just until everything is combined—avoid overmixing.
- Prepare Spiced Sugar Coating: In a small bowl, mix the remaining chai spice blend (1 tablespoon) with 1/3 cup sugar. This will be used to coat the cookie dough balls.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for 25-30 minutes to firm up, making it easier to handle.
- Preheat Oven and Shape Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll the chilled dough into small, smooth balls. Roll each ball thoroughly in the spiced sugar mixture once, then again to ensure a complete coating. For flatter cookies similar to snickerdoodles, gently press down the center of each ball before baking.
- Bake: Arrange the coated dough balls evenly spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, until set but still soft in the center.
- Cool: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. This helps them firm up without breaking.
Notes
- Use 2 2/3 cups of flour instead of 2 1/2 cups for thicker cookies.
- Adjust ground cloves quantity (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon) based on your taste preference for spice intensity.
- Pressing cookie balls slightly before baking keeps them from puffing up too much in the center and results in a flatter cookie.
- These cookies store well in an airtight container for up to 5 days, and freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.
- For a vegan version, substitute butter with vegan butter and eggs with flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water per egg).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
