Chewy Chai Spice Cookies
I love snickerdoodle anything. I’ve made various cookies, bars, blondies, breads, and cakes with snickerdoodle flavors. I also adore chai spices and decided that chai snickerdoodles had to happen. The chai spice cookies are easy to make and are slightly chewy around the edges with soft, pillowy centers. The chai spices give the cookies so much depth of flavor. Cozy, comfort-food cookies that warm you up inside. Snickerdoodles are a perfect cookie to chai-i-fy. They already have a cinnamon-sugar coating and the soft, buttery dough soaks up the warming notes of the chai spices beautifully. I used The Best Snickerdoodles as the dough base and to develop the chai flavor I used a blend of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and cloves — both in the dough and in the coating the cookies are rolled in before baking. To make sure the cookies are packed with robust chai flavor, I used Winter Spice Chai Tea from Teabox in the dough. Teabox has hundreds of varieties of tea on their website, the quality is top-notch, and their prices and shipping times are great.
What’s in the Chai Cookies?
To make the chai cookie recipe, you’ll need:
Unsalted butter Granulated sugar Light brown sugar Egg Vanilla extract All-purpose flour Chai tea leaves Spices Cream of tartar
How to Make Chai Cookies
If you’ve made classic snickerdoodles before, then you can definitely handle this chai spice cookies recipe! Cream together the butter and sugars, then mix in the dry ingredients and the (many) spices. Scoop the dough into balls and chill for at LEAST 3 hours before baking. Just before baking the cookie dough balls, roll them in a spiced sugar mixture.
Can the Cream of Tartar Be Omitted?
Cream of tartar (sold in the baking or spice aisle) is a leavener that gives the cookies lift, lightness, provides the classic snickerdoodle flavor, and it’s key in this recipe. If you don’t have it on hand but must make snickerdoodles immediately, try my White Chocolate Snickerdoodles or Soft and Chewy Sugar-Doodle Vanilla Cookies.
Tips for the Best Chai Tea Cookies
I like the bolder flavor all the spices add in both the dough and the coating, but you an always dial the spices down if you prefer things a bit milder. Make sure to chill the dough and don’t overbake for perfect snickerdoodles. Both the baked chai cookies and the raw cookie dough can be frozen. If you plan on freezing the dough, do not roll it in the spiced sugar mixture. Wait to do so until you’re ready to bake the cookies.
More Snickerdoodle Desserts:
The Best Snickerdoodles — Soft, pillowy puffs that are so irresistible! The closest recipe to Mrs. Fields snickerdoodles that you’ll find! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!
Soft and Chewy Sugar-Doodle Vanilla Cookies – Part soft sugar cookie, part chewy snickerdoodle, with tons of rich vanilla flavor!
Soft and Chewy Molasses Gingerdoodles – 3 favorites combined! Soft molasses cookies, chewy gingerbread and crinkly snickerdoodles!
Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake — A cinnamon-sugar filling runs through the center of this soft, buttery cake that’s also coated with cinnamon-sugar! Everyone loves this easy cake that tastes like snickerdoodle cookies!
The Best Snickerdoodle Bars – They taste just like snickerdoodle cookies in fast and easy bar form! Soft, chewy, buttery…So irresistible!!
Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Blondies – Soft pumpkin bars, cinnamon-sugary snickerdoodles, and buttery blondies rolled into one!
Cinnamon-Sugar Mini Donut-Topped Snickerdoodle Cake – Can’t decide between donuts or coffee cake for breakfast? You can have them both in this soft, easy, one-bowl, no-mixer cake that’s a crowd favorite!
Snickerdoodle Bread – Bread that tastes like snickerdoodle cookies! Loaded with cinnamon chips and a cinnamon-sugar crust!
Post is brought to you by Teabox. The recipe, text, images, and opinions expressed are my own. Follow Teabox: Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram
