Oct 19

Oct 19 an easy recipe for the perfect simple chai tea cookies

This recipe was an accident. I had gotten the craving for sugar cookies but wanted something with a fall flair as far as flavors go. I ended up using brown sugar where I meant to use white because, well, I’d run out. It made for a new staple recipe that I’ll be making for years to come! I love happy accidents.

These chai cookies are a soft, indulgent treat perfect for the fall season, infused with the spices of chai tea.

These cookies are actually fairly similar to snickerdoodles, but really the key difference is the tea. I keep this super easy by using the loose leaf tea from a couple of tea bags in my dough but you could always experiment with traditionally-prepared chai spices.

Another benefit? These cookies store incredibly well. I was able to keep them covered on my counter for 5 whole days and they maintained their soft texture!

INGREDIENTS:

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon finely ground Chai tea (from 2 tea bags or 4 teaspoons loose leaf tea)
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

AS A GARNISH:

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar or cinnamon, if desired

Instructions

Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, chai tea, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the sugar and butter. Beat on medium to high speed until a fluffy texture and doubled in volume, 2 to 3 minutes, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary. Reduce the mixer to low and add the egg. Then add the vanilla and beat until just combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as you mix. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients and beat until they are just combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides a final time, and beat on low for an additional 30 seconds.
Use an ice cream scoop to portion the cookie dough into balls. Place the cookies at least 3 inches apart on the prepared sheet pans. Sprinkle the tops of the dough balls with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of sugar or cinnamon for garnish before baking.
Bake the cookies. Bake one pan at a time for 12 minutes, or until the edges have set but the centers are still gooey. The cookies will look puffed when you pull them out of the oven, but don’t worry, the cookies should collapse a bit as they cool. Cool the cookies on the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, or until the edges and bottoms of the cookies have set and feel firm to the touch. Repeat with the remainder of your dough.
Serve and store. Serve warm. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container or zipped bag at room temperature for no more than 5 days.