Nothing quite beats Chai Cookies when it comes to fall desserts. Made with aromatic and warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, mace, and nutmeg, these cookies are nothing short of delicious! Whether you’re serving them to guests or enjoying them with a cup of tea, it’s difficult not to finish the whole batch at once. They’re especially perfect for cold, wintery days.
Chai cookies draw entirely from the spice mix in the classic masala chai recipe. They don’t taste exactly like masala chai, but they’re buttery, nutty, and creamy. They’re chewy and soft in texture, and quite easy to make. It’s no surprise that Taylor Swift can’t go a week without making chai cookies!
Chai Cookies Recipe:
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Bake Time: 10 Minutes
Ingredients:
½ Cup Unsalted Butter
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
½ Cup White Sugar or 1 Cup Brown Sugar
½ Tsp. ground nutmeg
½ Tsp. ground green cardamom
½ Tsp. ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Tsp. Dried, Powdered Ginger
1 Tsp. ground star anise OR black cardamom (this can be store bought or ground at home)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 egg
Steps:
- To brown the butter, add the butter to a pot and heat it over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and bubbling slightly, stir the butter on low heat until the butter has browned and smells nutty. Once browned evenly, decant the butter in a bowl and refrigerate until it becomes a little more solid.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, using a hand or stand mixer (depending on whatever’s available), add the sugar, salt, all spices, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix the dry ingredients together on low speed.
- Taking the browned butter from the fridge (it should be liquidy and soft), begin incorporating the butter into the flour and spice mix gradually.
- Once all the butter is poured, the flour mix should look airy and light.
- Like in step 4, incorporate the egg into the flour mix gradually until even and creamy.
- Using a spatula, fold the mixture together and scrape any excess flour from the sides.
- Line one baking tray with parchment paper.
- Divide the batter into 10 (or 11) equal portions using either a cookie scoop or your hands.
- Roll the pieces of dough into balls. On the baking tray, place each ball (with at least 3 cm of space on either side), and gently flatten it using the back of a spoon.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until they’re crispy and browned. The cookies can be baked longer for a crispier snack.
- Cool the cookies until warm on the baking tray/sheet. Then, using the parchment paper, move then transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Then serve!
Storage Instructions:
To keep the cookies fresh, store in an airtight container. They can last about 2 months in the freezer and 1 month in the fridge.