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Chai Tea Cookies are similar to soft ginger cookies but pack a bigger flavor punch due to the blend of Chai spices of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. New to chai? Chai is the word for tea in some countries. It is a centuries-old beverage where spices are brewed in milk, then sweetened. The combinations of spices vary from region to region based on availability and tradition.
This time of the year, I crave gingerbread. As a kid, my mother made scratch gingerbread in the dead of winter. She served it with her hand-whipped heavy cream spiked with Grand Marnier. If you want to try something fun, make scratch whipped cream spiked with Grand Marnier and dollop a spoonful on top when serving these chai tea cookies.
Think of this recipe as a new twist on classic sugar cookie meets warm gingerbread on a cold winter night. We chose to use our Wildflower Honey from the eastern shore instead of sugar. Replacing sugar with honey works just fine up to one cup. However, more than that may add too much moisture or lead to browning.
We think that you will love these spicy chai tea cookies. So, enjoy them with your favorite herbal tea. Yield depends on the size you choose to make the cookies.
How to Make Chai Tea Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat and set aside.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.
- Combine the sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, black pepper, and cloves. Set aside 1/4 cup of the sugar and spice mixture for rolling.
- Beat the butter and sugar-spice mixture until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract and Grand Marnier. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in the sugar and spice mixture. Place dough balls about 1 inch apart on a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake until puffed, golden, and the surface starts to crack about 8 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and let stand on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.
If you decide to make this cookie recipe, be sure to take a photo and share them with us using #beeinspired on Instagram. We love seeing your photos!
