Description
Soft, chewy, and spiced perfectly, these fall chai spiced snickerdoodle cookies are an easy family recipe using pantry staples. They feature a warm chai flavor with a crackly cinnamon-sugar exterior and take about 25 minutes to make.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 chai tea bags (steeped in ¼ cup hot water, cooled)
- 2¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for coating)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for coating)
- Optional: ½ cup white chocolate chips or ¼ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Boil ¼ cup of water and pour it over 3 chai tea bags in a microwave-safe cup. Let steep for 5 minutes, then remove bags and let the liquid cool completely to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add the cooled chai tea liquid, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat on medium speed until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough, roll them smooth, and coat them thoroughly in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Place cookies on baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly golden and centers look slightly soft.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Ensure butter is softened, not melted, to prevent spreading. Spoon flour into measuring cups rather than scooping to avoid dense cookies. Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading and improves texture. Cookies taste better on day 2 as spices meld. Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread to keep soft.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 14
- Sodium: 95
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 0.5
- Protein: 2
Keywords: chai cookies, snickerdoodle, fall baking, easy cookies, family recipe, chai spice, holiday cookies