Chai Tea Cookies
Chai tea cookies bring a cozy twist to classic cookies, blending warm, aromatic spices with a sweet, chewy texture!
Chai Tea Cookies
Made famous by Taylor Swift, chai tea cookies are a delightful treat that combines the cozy warmth of chai spices with the classic comfort of homemade cookies.
These cookies have a charming way of filling the kitchen with an inviting aroma, blending notes of cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom.
Chai tea cookies strike a perfect balance between chewy and crisp and sweet and spicy. They fit in perfectly at a casual get-together, a fancy tea party, or even as a sweet snack on a lazy weekend.
And their unique flavor makes them a hit at holiday gatherings too! I like to add them to a platter with eggnog cookies and toffee cookies so something different than the usual spread.
Why you will love this recipe
- Pairs wonderfully with a variety of beverages and desserts, from coffee and tea to ice cream!
- A fantastic recipe for the holidays, offering a delightful alternative to traditional holiday cookie flavors.
- It’s versatile – perfect for a cozy evening at home or as a sophisticated addition to a party menu.
- The dough freezes well, making it convenient to have on hand for unexpected guests or sudden cravings.
How to Make Perfect Taylor Swift Chai Tea Cookies
Cream butter and sugars: Use an electric mixer to blend the butter with both granulated and brown sugar until it is completely smooth and creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla: Mix in each room-temperature egg one at a time, making sure they’re completely combined. After adding eggs, mix in the vanilla extract thoroughly.
Mix dry ingredients and combine: In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Add this dry mix to the creamy batter, stirring with a spatula to form a stiff batter.
Chill the dough: Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or overnight if possible.
Bake cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line baking trays with paper. Scoop batter onto trays, spacing them 2 inches apart. Flatten tops slightly, then bake for 10-12 minutes.
Cool and decorate: Let the baked chai cookies cool on a wire rack. They will harden as they cool. If using chocolate decoration, melt chocolate in the microwave in 60-second intervals until smooth.
Pro Tips
- Warm ingredients blend better. All of the ingredients, especially butter and eggs, should be at room temperature before starting. This helps in achieving a smoother batter and prevents the cookies from cracking.
- Dough can be prepped in advance. These cookies have the best flavor when the batter is made ahead of time and chilled overnight. This allows the flour to hydrate fully and absorb the butter, resulting in a richer, bolder, spiced flavor in the cookies.
- Flattened dough bakes evenly. Lightly press down the tops of the dough scoops with the bottom of a glass, creating even thickness for consistent baking.
- Wire racks are best for cooling. Let cookies cool slightly on the baking tray before transferring to a cooling rack to prevent breaking.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions for Chai Tea Cookies
Vanilla Extract: This enhances the overall flavor profile of chai tea cookies. I prefer pure extract for the best taste, but artificial vanilla can be used in a pinch.
Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds a warm, comforting note to cookies that’s difficult to replicate. No direct substitute exists, but use a pumpkin spice blend for a similar warming effect.
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar brings moisture and a deeper flavor to these chai cookies because of the molasses in it. Light and dark brown sugar are interchangeable, but the recommended ratio is perfect for that chewy texture!
Cardamom: Ground cardamom offers a very distinctive taste in chai cookies that truly melds all of the flavors together.
Cloves: Ground cloves add the classic spiced note to Taylor Swift chai tea cookies. If needed, ground nutmeg can be used as a substitute — it just has a milder flavor profile.
Frequently Asked Questions about Taylor Swift Chai Tea Cookies
How do I know when the cookies are perfectly baked?
Chai cookies are perfectly baked when the edges are set and lightly golden! If you like crispier cookies, keep them in the oven for a little bit longer. The baking time can vary slightly depending on your oven, so it’s good to start checking a minute or two before the timer goes off.
How should I store chai tea cookies?
Store chai cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, where they will last for up to a week. They may lose some of their chewiness over time, but will still be delicious.
How do I know if the dough is the right consistency?
For perfectly chewy cookies, the cookie dough should be firm enough to hold its shape but not too hard to where it can’t be molded. It should be easy to scoop without being overly sticky or crumbly.
Chai Tea Cookies
Chai tea cookies bring a cozy twist to classic cookies, blending warm, aromatic spices with a sweet, chewy texture!
Servings 24 Cookies
Calories 172kcal
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 small eggs at room temperature
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp all spice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
Optional
- 1/3 cup white chocolate chunks to decorate after baking
Instructions
- Use an electric mixer to cream the butter with granulated and brown sugar. Mix until smooth and creamy. It is essential to achieve a soft cream before following the next step.
- Add both eggs, one at a time, mixing very well after each addition. Eggs should be at room temperature; otherwise, they will break the butter emulsion, resulting in crispy and hard cookies. Next, add vanilla extract and mix to combine.
- Mix the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, and spices) in a different bowl. Then add them to the creamy batter. Use a spatula to combine; the result should be a stiff batter.
- Cover the bowl in film paper and let it chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. The chilling process is key to the flavor and chewiness of the cookies. If possible, refrigerate it overnight.
- Before baking the cookies, preheat the oven to 350F and prepare at least two baking trays with baking paper. Scoop cookie batter into the prepared baking tray, leaving 2 inches between them. Lightly flatten the top with the bottom of a glass.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set and lightly golden. More cooking time will result in crispy cookies, less cooking time more chewy cookies. For example, I baked them for 12 minutes, rotating the trays to get even baking in every cookie, and the result was chewy cookies in the center while crispy in the edges.
- After baking, let the cookies cool on a cooling rack. They will slightly harden when cool.
- If decorating the cookies with chocolate, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 60-second batches until fully melted.
Notes
Tips
- If you can make this cookie batter in advance to chill it overnight, you won’t regret it. Refrigerating the cookie batter allows the flour to hydrate and absorb all the butter and develop a bold spiced flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 255IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg
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