Description

Spiced Baked Chai Cookies are a fragrant and flavorful treat combining classic chai spices with a tender, buttery cookie base. These cookies are perfectly soft in the center with lightly golden edges, enhanced by warm cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and allspice, with an optional crunchy nut addition, then finished with a delicate dusting of powdered sugar.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients and Spices

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Optional and Garnish

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1/4 cup powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure they are fully mixed. Stir in the vanilla extract for added aroma and flavor.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and all the ground spices—cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and allspice—until evenly distributed.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined to avoid overmixing. Fold in the chopped nuts if you opt to include them for texture and flavor.
Form Cookies: Using a tablespoon, drop rounded spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading as they bake.
Bake: Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cookies have lightly golden edges and the centers are set but still soft.
Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes to firm up, then transfer them carefully to wire racks to cool completely, preventing sogginess.
Dust with Powdered Sugar: Once cooled, dust the cookies lightly with powdered sugar using a fine mesh sieve to add a sweet finishing touch and aesthetic appeal.

Notes

For nut-free cookies, omit the walnuts or pecans or substitute with seeds like pumpkin or sunflower.
Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent cookies from sticking and to make cleanup easier.
Chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking can help reduce spreading for thicker cookies.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: chai cookies, spiced cookies, baked cookies, chai spice, cinnamon cookies, holiday cookies, tea cookies