Chai Sugar Cookies are going to become your favorite fall cookie recipe. Made with simple ingredients, these cookies are totally irresistible.
One of my very favorite recipes is my sugar cookies. It is a huge hit with my family and something that is requested all the time. I have so many great variations on them, and now we have one more.
These chai sugar cookies come together just like the original with the addition of some chai tea. It’s a simple variation, but one that you will absolutely fall in love with.
Chai Spices
Chai involves black tea leaves along with spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and black peppercorn. The result is a cozy, aromatic flavor that is delicious in tea, lattes, and these cookies! We add chai flavor to these sugar cookies by adding all of the contents of one chai tea bag into the dough.
How to Make Chai Sugar Cookies
Here is a brief overview of how these chai cookies come together. For the full recipe including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Then cut open the chai tea bag and dump the contents into the flour mixture. Discard the bag and stir to combine.
- Cream butter and sugar. In a bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer, mix together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three to six minutes. Mix in the eggs and the vanilla until well combined.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low, then turn up the mixer to high just long enough that you don’t see streaks of flour. Be sure to scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl.
- Form the dough into cookies. Use a cookie scoop and roll the dough into one-inch sized balls. Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture, then place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies just begin to turn golden brown around the edges. Allow to cool before enjoying.
The Best Baking Sheets
Cookie Tips and Tricks
These simple tips will help your cookies turn out perfectly every time and can be applied to almost all cookie recipes.
- Make sure your butter is softened. You want it to be soft enough to dent with your finger, but not soft enough to push all the way through. Let it sit on the counter to come to room temperature, cutting it up into small pieces to speed this up. Do not warm it up in the microwave.
- Make sure your baking powder is fresh. To make sure it’s active, mix a little bit with some water. It should bubble up right away; if it doesn’t, toss it and get new baking powder.
- Measure your flour correctly. This tip is so important, it gets its own section below.
- Don’t rush the creaming. You want the butter and sugar to cream together for a full three minutes. This beats air into the sugar which results in fluffy cookies.
- Use a cookie scoop. This makes quick work of uniform dough balls that bake evenly and comes in handy in so many cookie recipes.
Cookie Scoop
Measuring Flour
Getting too much flour in your cookies will result in them being dense and dry. Unfortunately, this is easy to do because flour packs easily. To avoid getting too much flour, follow these steps for measuring.
- Give the flour a light whisk in the container it’s stored in.
- Use a spoon to scoop the flour from its container into a dry measuring cup.
- Use a flat edge like a spatula or butter knife to level off the excess flour.
- Repeat as needed for more flour.
How to Measure Flour
Glazing Chai Sugar Cookies
A glaze is a great variation on this recipe. With some milk, powdered sugar, and seasonings, you can make a really simple glaze.
- Whisk together one cup powdered sugar and two tablespoons milk.
- Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
- Dip the baked cookies into the glaze and transfer them to a wire rack to allow the glaze to set.
Storing and Freezing Sugar Cookies
Store these chai tea cookies once they’ve cooled in an airtight container on the counter for up to two weeks. You can also freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to three months.
Freezing Cookie Dough Balls
You can also freeze the cookie dough balls if you want to bake them fresh later. Line a parchment-lined baking sheet with dough balls and put in the freezer for a few hours. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container and keep them in the freezer for up to three months. The dough balls can be baked right from frozen. Bake them in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
More Sugar Cookies
As mentioned above these are a great spin on my easy sugar cookies. Here are a few more.
- Apple Sugar Cookies
- Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- Sugar Cookie Bars
- Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Sugar Cookies with Sprinkles
If you make this chai sugar cookie recipe or any of my others, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave me a comment and let me know how you enjoyed it.
Chai Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
For Cookie Dough
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (300 grams)
- 1 chai tea bag
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (197.8 gram)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (297 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
For Rolling
- 1/2 cup sugar (99 grams)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Then cut open the chai tea bag and add it to the flour mixture, stirring to combine. Discard the bag the tea came in. Set the flour mixture aside.2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 chai tea bag
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 6 minutes.1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Mix in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla until well combined.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low until it just begins to combine. Then turn up the mixer to high just long enough that you don't see streaks of flour. Scrape down the bowl and on the bottom to ensure that all the flour is added. Only mix long enough to combine the flour.
- Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon. Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, roll the dough into one-inch sized balls. Roll the balls in the sugar mixture. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Space the cookies about 2 inches apart.1/2 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking, or until the cookies just begin to turn golden brown around the edges. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Read above for a glaze recipe that is delicious on these.
- Once cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
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