Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: Just like a dirty chai – but BETTER!
Texture: These cookies are ultra thick & soft.
Ease: Simple 30-minute recipe.
Pros: Quick & fun twist on the classic sugar cookie that’s perfect for fall and holiday baking. Your house will smell AMAZING after baking.
Cons: None!
Would I make this again? Absolutely.
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These Chai Sugar Cookies are the perfect quick, easy, cozy afternoon bake when it’s chilly outside.
I remember the first time I ever tasted chai as a teenager. I was amazed.
It was like the flavors of autumn but even more interesting and slightly exotic.
And that was just an iced chai from the Starbucks at the mall.
These cookies are infused with all the chai spices you know and love. I even topped them with an espresso glaze, so I guess technically these are dirty chai cookies.
Whatever you want to call them, they make the perfect afternoon pick-me-up all season long and will make your home smell better than every fall candle from Bath & Body Works.
Whether you enjoy these cookies as a cozy fall baking treat, an easy Friendsgiving dessert, or a unique Christmas cookie, they’re bound to be a hit!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Chai Sugar Cookies
Measure Your Flour Correctly!
I highly recommend weighing your flour with a digital kitchen scale. If you add too much flour, your cookies won’t spread at all and will be dry instead of soft and chewy. If you don’t have a scale, use the spoon and level method.
The Sugar
This recipe calls for granulated sugar (white sugar) with a splash of honey. That liquid sweetener helps to create slightly puffy and soft cookies because of the extra moisture it adds. You can omit the honey if you don’t have any, but your cookies won’t be as soft and fluffy.
Cornstarch
There’s just a touch of cornstarch to help make these cookies softer and more tender. Feel free to omit if you don’t have any, but your cookies won’t be quite as soft and tender.
Eggs
I use an extra egg yolk in this recipe for an extra dose of richness, moisture, and chewiness.
The Spices
I used pretty traditional chai spices, but feel free to experiment with the spices and amounts. Check your spices to ensure they’re not expired. Even if they’re not expired, give them a sniff and make sure they’re still very aromatic – otherwise, your cookies may be bland. Older spices carry much less flavor than fresh spices, so just be aware of that and adjust accordingly.
Chai Sugar Cookie Glaze
- The espresso glaze is simply made by combining a splash of espresso with powdered sugar.
- I just used instant espresso powder + boiling water to make things easy.
- You can also use very strong coffee.
- To make pretty cookies, transfer the glaze to a sandwich baggie or small piping bag. Snip a small hole (smaller than you might think!) in one corner and pipe the glaze on top of the cookies in stripes.
- Make sure the glaze is completely set and dry to the touch before stacking these cookies to transport or store.
Can I Skip the Glaze?
Sure! I like the added flavor and the pretty appearance, but feel free to skip it if preferred.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Sure! Simply double all ingredients listed to make about 46 cookies – no other modifications needed.
Can I Make Chai Sugar Cookies Ahead of Time?
Yes! I prefer to make the dough, portion it out, and freeze it inside an airtight container to bake it off whenever the craving strikes! Learn how to freeze cookie dough and bake from frozen here.
How to Store Chai Sugar Cookies
These cookies will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To ensure they stay soft, add a tortilla to the container to prevent the cookies from drying out.
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Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (270 grams) all-purpose flour,
measured correctly - 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 10 tablespoons (142 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 large egg, at cool room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at cool room temperature
For the glaze:
- 1 1/4 cups (156 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons espresso or strong coffee*
Instructions
Make the cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, ginger, and cloves.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and honey. On low speed, gradually add in the flour mixture until just combined.
- Divide the dough into 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized balls using a medium spring-loaded scoop and drop onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Gently flatten dough with the smooth side of a spatula.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are just set and slightly golden brown. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
Make the glaze:
- In a small bowl, use a small whisk or a fork to combine the powdered sugar and espresso until a thick but pourable glaze forms. Drizzle all over the cooled cookies. Allow the glaze to set completely before storing or transporting.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
This post was originally published in 2018 and has been updated with additional recipe tips. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
These were so easy to make and unbelievably good! A dirty Chai in cookie form! I added some sparkly sugar to the tops while the icing was still wet.
I’m so glad you loved these cookies! Love the idea of adding sparkly sugar on top.
Can these be frozen without the glaze for longer storage?
Yes, freeze unglazed! There are more tips for freezing the cookie dough in the pink box above as well.
Which ingredients in mix spices please share
Hello, I wanna make this, but is it possible to use melted butter instead?
Your cookies will spread too much if you use melted butter, I’d recommend room temperature butter!
Hi There
What can be used as a substitute for the eggs?
i just made these adding brewers yeast flax seed meal and fenugreek to make a lactation cookie. I had to add a bit more sugar and spices to help with the flavor but I am hoping they turn out all right. The batter tasted good. Do you happen to have this recipe as a lactation cookie?
Ahhmazzing! Tastes like you are eating a chai tea. Thank you for the recipe. Do not over bake. Cookies will feel soft when done. Otherwise they will get too crispy if over baked.
I plan to make these using a chai spice mix instead of each spice individually. Any idea on how much of the spice mix I would use? Thanks in advance for any feedback!
I used a chai spice mix ( King Arthur) and measured out 5 tsp to equal the amount of the others combined. Additionally, I substituted half the butter for shortening as they spread too much on the first go round. Also, sifted the dry ingredients to better incorporate. They were perfect!
Thanks, Debra!
I’ve made these twice and they are so good. I’ve made them for Christmas and also for a sister who is a chai tea lover. She and my mom love them! I would like to know the calorie count if possible.
These are delicious! I had to tweak though to get it right. I made the recipe as stated. Measured carefully and whisked. The cookies were very flat and spread considerably. Tasted good but looked terrible. So I went back and substituted shortening for the butter (113 gr) and sifted the dry ingredients. Used American measurements with the exception of the shortening. These turned out beautifully! Might just be the weather it’s humid right now.
I baked them, I loved them…! 🙂
Replaced half of the flour with Almond flour and was perfect…
I LOVED this recipe and so did my kids…I actually put real chai tea into it to give it more flavour and made super strong espresso for the icing…these disappeared in a day!!
Very good cookies…thinking of some spicy peanut butter cookies now too!
Can these be frozen? If yes should I wait to glaze til after they thaw or will the glaze freeze and defrost well too?
Freeze unglazed!