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.
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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.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love:
Chai Sugar Cookies
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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.
Recipe Notes
The Ultimate Cookie Handbook
Learn the sweet SCIENCE of cookie baking in a fun, visual way to customize your own recipes frustration-free. Plus, my best 50+ homemade cookies!
This post was originally published in 2018 and has been updated with additional recipe tips. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
can I double this recipe?
Hi Donna! Yes, feel free to double this recipe! Let us know what you think of these cookies once you have given them a try 🙂
these are insanely delicious! I didn’t make any changes to the recipe and they are slightly crispy on the edge and soft in the middle. I like the lightly spiced flavor. Honestly these are really good without the glaze too, so next time I might skip that part to save some time time and sugar. so so good!
Exactly what I was looking for! I also rolled the cookies in a chai flavored sugar before baking and they came out great! Perfect recipe for a snowy day and I’ll definitely make it again!
Such yummy, chewy cookies! Definitely going to make them again!
Hi Tessa,
can I use this recipe as a rollout /cutout sugar cookie and decorate with royal icing?
Thank you,
Brenda
Hi Brenda! These cookies are designed to be drop cookies, and won’t really keep their shape well when rolled out. You could certainly try, but I don’t see them baking well as shapes. You could otherwise try using Tessa’s cutout sugar cookie recipe here, and add a little of some of the spices to mimic the flavor of the Chai cookies? Let us know how it goes if you give any of this a try 🙂
My new favorite cookie – with rave reactions from all who taste it.
These are my absolute new favorite cookies
Do these freeze well?
Hi Dina! We typically recommend freezing the dough, rather than the baked cookies, for best results – that way, you can bake off a few fresh, delicious cookies whenever you wish! Tessa talks about this in the pink tip box above the recipe, or in this article here. If you’d rather freeze the baked cookies, just be sure to store in a ziptop bag or an airtight container, and I’d recommend freezing unglazed cookies, and then glaze after thawing. Happy baking!
The best ever. Made it to gift. Did not give all away, as they were so delish! Kept a few for self!
haha love it! So glad you enjoyed them 🙂
The warm spices in these cookies are so tasty! And not too crazy sweet. A great cookie for any time of year. 🙂 I halved this recipe and came out with 12 cookies exactly.
The only thing I’m not 100% crazy about is the glaze, but I think my palette is just really sensitive to powdered sugar. I reduced the amount of sugar as much as I could without compromising the structure of the glaze, and it still tasted chalky, almost soapy or metallic? My sugar is fresh, 10x, and was sifted. I’ve used a bunch of different brands and they all have that taste to me. Maybe it’s like the gene that makes cilantro taste like soap, idk! But because I think it’s a me-problem, do you have any recommendations for an alternative glaze for this cookie? Maybe some sort of a cream cheese glaze?
Interesting to hear about your powdered sugar sensitivity! I wonder if there just aren’t enough ingredients in the glaze for your senses to balance out the powdered sugar. You are more than welcome to omit the glaze completely and enjoy the cookies on their own. If you do try a cream cheese glaze (linking one HERE from The Spruce Eats), just know that you would have to refrigerate the cookies. I wonder if a simple icing would suit your tastes more? While this isn’t our recipe either, I make these Vanilla Chai Shortbread Cookies every Christmas, and the cinnamon-y glaze is super delicious. I bet it would taste great on these (it’s a thinner glaze, so I typically dunk my cookies in the glaze, but you’re welcome to drizzle). I hope that helps!
Delish cookies
Amazing! Great chai flavor and the cookie was the perfect amount of chewiness. I ended up adding a little vanilla extract to the glaze the first time I made these since I made the espresso a tad too bitter, oops, but the next time I adjusted my espresso and didn’t need to add the vanilla. I’ve made these a few times now and will continue.
So glad to hear that, Tori!