Chai sugar cookies are moist sugar cookies perfectly spiced with a blend of cinnamon, ground cardamom, ground ginger, allspice and ground cloves. The chai spice blend is incorporated into the dough, rolling sugar and the glaze to create the perfect amount of warmth and flavor. The cookie will seem familiar like a snickerdoodle but when the notes of cardamom (which is chai’s signature flavor) come through, it’s a whole new experience.
The first time I had chai was in high school at Starbucks. I remember I was sold on it when someone said “it tastes like Christmas in a cup.” My first sip of that chai tea latte had me hooked. It is the closest thing to tasting a hug, a warm fire and yes, Christmas. It’s one of the most vivid culinary experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve been ordering them ever since.
When I came across the viral “Taylor Swift Chai Sugar Cookies,” I thought I had to try them. I made them as her recipe stated and in my opinion they fell completely flat. No shade aimed at Taylor, but the dough ingredients seemed more like an experiment than a tried and true sugar cookie recipe. It was the first time I’d seen anyone call for oil or powdered sugar for cookie dough. It created a very wet, delicate dough that baked into the most bizarre crumbly yet wet texture. The recipe also called for a chai tea bag. I knew that would be a disaster so I followed the spice blend of Joy the Baker’s rendition. Unfortunateley, the nutmeg that recipe called for completely overpowered any cardamom flavor, which is chai.
You see chai is supposed to be warm and comforting, not too spicy and very smooth. Nutmeg is the opposite. It’s loud and overbearing. Never use nutmeg in a chai recipe. Or in any dessert for that matter. I’m not a fan, can you tell? But it’s not just my personal aversion to the taste that makes me write this. It truly doesn’t play nice with cardamom like the other spices do. That’s why this recipe doesn’t call for it. To be fair that one isn’t on Taylor, but still, a tea bag? The instructions weren’t to steep the tea bag, but to use a tea bag. I’m assuming that means cut out the contents of a mesh bag. This is never a good idea, especially with so much room for interpretation.
Another issue I took with Taylor’s chai sugar cookies was how hard the dough was to work with. The dough was so delicate that it collapsed under the weight of my hands even after four hours in the refrigerator. This is due to the oil and powdered sugar the recipe called for. These aren’t typical sugar cookie ingredients for a reason. My fix for this was to use all butter and a combination of granulated and brown sugar. These ingredients fair much better and create a perfect texture immediately after mixing. You can work with the dough right away and chill the dough balls just while the oven preheats. While it’s not necessary, slightly chilling them helps prevent the cookies from spreading out as much during baking.
These were the reasons I just can’t get behind Taylor Swift’s chai sugar cookie recipe, no matter how viral they went. If you were unimpressed as well, you’ve got to give my recipe a try. Even if you haven’t tried her version, but you’re a cookie lover in general (especially a snickerdoodle lover) this recipe is for you.
Chai Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Chai Spice Blend
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 c salted butter (1 stick) softened
- 1/2 c granulated sugar
- 1/2 c light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/3 c flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp chai spice blend
Chai Sugar
- 1/4 c granulated sugar
- 1 tsp chai spice blend
Chai Glaze
- 1 c powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp chai spice blend
Instructions
- Create your chai spice blend in a small bowl with the cinnamon, cardamom, ground ginger, allspice and ground cloves. You will not use all of it.
- To a bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 2 teaspoons of the chai spice blend. Stir and set aside.
- To a plate or shallow bowl add 1/4 c granulated sugar and 1 tsp of the chai spice blend. This is what we roll the cookie dough balls in. Set aside.
- To another bowl or a stand mixer, mix together the softened butter and sugars for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla, continue beating until well incorporated. Scrape the sides and mix again.
- With the mixer on low slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet. Scrape the sides and mix on low until everything is fully incorporated.
- Create 2 tablespoon size dough balls, form in a ball and roll in the chai sugar. You should have 15 cookies in total.
- Chill for 20 minutes while the oven preheats to 350 degrees.
- Bake in rounds in the middle rack on parchment lined sheet pans for 10 minutes. Make sure the cookes are 2 inches apart.
- Allow to cool on the counter on the sheet pan for 10 minutes and then on either a cooling rack or on parchment paper on the counter.
- Make the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and 1 teaspoon of the chai spice mix to a bowl until smooth and all lumps are worked out.
- If your cookies bubbled in the middle while baking, gently press the centers down to create a shallow well. Pour a couple teaspoons of the glaze on each cookie. Optional step is to sprinkle the wet tops with a tiny pinch of chai spice blend for a more forward chai flavor.
- Allow to harden for an hour.