Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies

by Gayle on Jan 18, 2018 (updated Oct 27, 2020) 14 comments »

These Spiced Chai Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with cozy fall spices. Filled with warm flavors and easy to make, this simple cookie recipe will quickly become your new favorite homemade treat!

chai cookies on a wire cooling wrack

It’s time to get serious today, friends. Why? Because I’m talking about my love of chai everything, and it’s something that I’ve failed to share with you in recipe form.

If you’ve read my About Gayle page, then you know that I’m addicted to chai lattes. I can still remember the first time I had a chai latte, and nope, it wasn’t from Starbuck’s!

Before I started blogging full-time, I worked in higher education for a number of years. My department ended up moving to a different office location that was the corporate headquarters for Sears (with a bunch of other businesses in the building). Among the many amenities the building offered was a ‘Seattle’s Best Coffee Shop.’ And it was there that I became obsessed with chai lattes.

Every morning, I would make the sort-of long trek from my office floor to this coffee shop and order a large chai latte (it was just that good!). My department ended up moving to another location a few years later, so I was unable to get my chai fix from that coffee shop.

And that’s when Starbuck’s came into play. Although I do love their chai lattes (it’s mostly what I order every time I go there), it isn’t quite as good as the ones I would get at my old job. Oh well, such is life, right?

Now that I’ve shared how I got into chai lattes, I want to share a recipe featuring the same great flavor.

Over the years, I’ve seen (and tried) lots of chai recipes floating around in Pinterest world. From cookies, to cakes and cupcakes, clearly everyone loves chai just as much as I do!

And that’s where these chai spice cookies come in.

What Makes These Chai Cookies So Fantastic:

They’re super simple to make! Combine the wet and dry ingredients, chill, then shape the cookies and bake them up!
These chai cookies are full of cozy fall flavors, perfect for chilly days.
They bake up perfectly – slightly crisp on the edges, but soft and chewy in the center. Everything you want in a sugar cookie!

I don’t know about you, but sugar cookies are my absolute favorite. Ok, next to snickerdoodles. Those are my favorites, and yes, even better than chocolate chippers! And that’s why I love these Chai Cookies. It’s almost like a cross between a sugar cookie and snickerdoodle, but loaded with spices. The flavor is subtle and not overpowering, which balances these cookies perfectly.

And easy…so easy to make! These cookies do require chilling the dough, but trust me, it’s worth the wait.

One bite and you’ll fall in love with the cozy spices, soft and chewy center, and crisp edges. It’s everything that a Chai Spiced Sugar Cookie should be!

top down shot of sugar cookies on a wire rack

Ingredients in Chai Cookies

The ingredients list for these chai spice cookies is short and sweet!

All-purpose flour
Baking powder and baking soda
Spices (salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, black pepper)
Granulated sugar
Unsalted butter
Egg
Vanilla bean paste

How to Make Chai Cookies

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with fitted paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, beating until just combined.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours.
Preheat your oven to 350F. Line two large baking pans with parchment paper or spray well with non-stick cooking spray.
Scoop out about 1½-2 tablespoon of dough with a spoon, roll into a ball using your hands, and place each ball onto prepared pan, about 2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Bake each sheet for 8-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are firm and the centers are slightly under-baked.
Let the cookies cool on the baking pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

chai spiced cookies cooling on a wire rack

Recipe Variations to Try

Add some nuts to the dough to give these cookies a nice crunch! 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or hazelnuts would work well.
Give these cookies a snickerdoodle twist! Combine 1/2 cup of sugar with 1/4 cinnamon and 1/2 nutmeg in a bowl and roll the cookie balls in it before placing them on the sheet pan.
Drizzle some melted chocolate on top to give these chai cookies a little more decadence!

How to Store Chai Cookies

Keep these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature; they’ll last up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months!

Tips for Making Chai Spice Cookies

Make sure not to over mix the dough as it can make your cookies tough or gummy. Mix just long enough until your dough is uniform.
Chilling the dough is important! It keeps the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
If you don’t have a large enough oven that distributes heat evenly, you may want to cook one sheet of cookies at a time.

So grab your coffee, chai latte, or tea and whip up a batch of these warm and cozy cookies. Your tastebuds will thank you!