AMAZING Chai Sugar Cookies with Spiced Frosting
These AMAZING chai sugar cookies are super chewy, easy to make, and have incredible flavor! They’re the perfect cookies for any Thanksgiving or Christmas party!
Hi friend. I’d like to introduce you to, quite possibly, the best cookie you’ll make all season.
And that says a lot coming from a chocolate lover. 😉
This recipe is inspired by Taylor Swift’s chai sugar cookies, but they’re actually a bit different than Taylor’s version – I used my chewy sugar cookie recipe, added in the chai flavor with the warm spices, and then changed up the glaze recipe a bit to include butter & more chai spices. Because butter makes everything better. (And seriously, the icing on this recipe just dissolves in your mouth!)
Here’s what you’ll love about this recipe:
- The flavor of these cookies is OUT OF THIS WORLD. This recipe produces incredibly chewy cookies with a warm, spiced, nutty flavor. JUST SO GOOD.
- They’re easy to make – with simple ingredients + a simple process.
- They’re seriously about to become everyone’s favorite. They’re unique enough to stand out among the crowd of other Christmas cookies, but not so unique that they don’t belong at the party. 😆 They’re truly the perfect Christmas cookie for any holiday gathering, cookie exchange, or to give as gifts in cookie tins – they’re going to be a crowd-pleaser FOR SURE!
- You can whip up a batch quickly! No need to chill the dough – you can go straight from making the dough to putting it in the oven. And, the spiced frosting on the cookies couldn’t be easier or quicker to make – you stir some ingredients together and spoon it onto the cookies. EASY PEASY.
Oh I cannot wait for you to make these!! One batch of these cookies and you’re going to be hooked. 😉
Ingredients:
Just a handful of simple ingredients and you’re on your way to delicious cookies!!
For the cookies:
- Unsalted butter, softened (can be colder than room temp, but at least a little soft!)
- Granulated sugar – for the dough & then a little extra for rolling
- Egg + egg yolk – I tried this with 2 eggs and they flattened out too much, and they were a little dry with just one egg. The extra egg yolk adds in just enough extra moisture and fat to make them moist & chewy!
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour – I ALWAYS use King Arthur flour now. I was getting so sick of different flour consistencies – some making super flat cookies and then others super puffy cookies. King Arthur has been much more reliable!
- Baking soda AND baking powder
- Salt
Chai spices (these go in BOTH the cookie dough and the frosting):
- Ginger
- Cinnamon
- Allspice
- Cardamom
- Cloves
- Nutmeg
You’ll stir all of the spices together and then use part of it for the dough and part of it for the frosting. This combo of spices is absolutely delicious. If you’re making these last minute and are short on any of these spices, you can absolutely still make this recipe – they just won’t taste quite as spice-y, but they’ll still taste great!
Spiced Frosting:
- A little bit of melted butter – most glaze recipes don’t include butter. Which is really sad. 😆 You don’t need anywhere near as much butter in this glaze-type frosting as you do in regular frosting like buttercream, but the butter helps give it a much richer flavor than if you just make a traditional glaze with only milk & powdered sugar. I highly recommend. 😉
- Whole milk – just a touch! You don’t need much!
- Vanilla extract
- Chai spices (same as above, just not as much as what you’ll use in the dough)
- Powdered sugar
Let’s make ’em! I give you the full recipe in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but let me walk you through the steps!
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How to make Chai Sugar Cookies with Spiced Frosting:
Step 1: Start prepping the dough
Using your paddle attachment, cream 2 sticks of butter + 1 1/2 c granulated sugar together on medium speed (in your stand mixer or with a hand mixer) for 1-2 minutes. Add in the egg + egg yolk & vanilla and mix just until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
Step 2: Prepare the spices
In a separate small bowl, stir all of the spices together & set aside.
Step 3: Prepare the dry ingredients
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and 3.5 tsp of the chai spice blend. Set the remaining spice blend aside until you’re ready to make the frosting (after the cookies bake).
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the flour mixture, just until everything is incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl with the spatula.
Step 5: Form dough balls & roll in extra granulated sugar
Roll cookie dough balls and coat them in a layer of granulated sugar. Place dough balls (12) on a cookie sheet.
Note on cookie sheets: (I ALWAYS use these cookie sheets to make cookies – my cookies bake evenly and come right off the pan; if you don’t have USA pans and your cookie sheets are prone to sticking, you might want to add parchment paper to the pan.)
Step 6: Bake cookies at 375 for 8 min
They should be a lovely light golden brown as you’re taking them out of the oven!
Step 7: Remove from oven & cool; repeat steps 5 & 6 with remaining dough
Set the cookie sheet aside and allow cookies to cool for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Bake the second half of the batch.
Allow the cookies to cool a bit before you frost them. This won’t take long!
Step 8: Make the frosting & add it to the cookies
This is super simple!! Melt the 4 T of butter (I just put mine in my Pyrex measuring cup & microwave for about 25 seconds), and then stir in powdered sugar, vanilla, remaining chai spices (it’ll be about 1.5 tsp), and 2 T of whole milk.
Your glaze should be thick but runny enough that you can spoon it onto your cookies pretty easily. I add about a tablespoon or so to each cookie and then use the spoon to gently spread it around just a bit on top of the cookies. If your glaze is too thick for whatever reason, add just a tiny bit (like 1/8 tsp) of milk at a time until it’s runny enough – you shouldn’t need much!
Step 9: Allow icing to set and ENJOY
You can eat the cookies right away 😉, but if you’re transporting these at all, you’ll want to let them set for a bit. The icing won’t harden completely, but the cookies will become more stackable after several hours of sitting out. Because these cookies aren’t like your typical decorated Christmas cookies, I’m not too particular on the icing staying perfectly in-tact!
Tips for making this chai sugar cookie recipe:
- Store them in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. You’ll still have somewhat soft cookies after 4-5 days, but they will be a bit drier; they’ll taste best if eaten within about 3 days of making them!
- For best results in transporting them: let them sit out overnight for the icing to set more. It won’t harden completely the same way royal icing hardens or this buttercream frosting, but it’ll set enough that you can stack them without the icing getting completely smushed.
- Spoon the frosting on the cookies RIGHT after you make it. Because this is more of a glaze than a traditional frosting, you will want to dollop the frosting on the cookies right after you make it. (i.e. you don’t want to make this ahead of time – it forms a crust pretty quickly and won’t spread as easily.)
HAVE FUN making and sharing these amazing cookies!!
More delicious cookie recipes for the holiday season:
- Triple Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Cookies
- Delicious Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe
- SUPER Chewy & Moist Christmas M&M Brookies
- Award-Winning Triple Dark Chocolate Cookies (SO GOOD!)
AMAZING Chai Sugar Cookies with Spiced Frosting
Ingredients
Chai Sugar Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter (slightly softened)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- Extra granulated sugar for rolling (about 2-3 tablespoons)
Chai Spices (you'll use part of this in the cookie dough and part of it in the frosting)
- 1.5 tsp ginger
- 1.5 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp cardamom
- ¼ tsp cloves
- ½ tsp nutmeg
Spiced Frosting
- 4 tbs butter melted
- 2 tbs whole milk
- 1.5 tsp chai spices the remainder from what you didn't put in the cookie dough
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 c powdered sugar
Instructions
To make the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream 2 sticks of butter and 1.5 c granulated sugar together on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in egg, egg yolk & vanilla. Mix until just combined & scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- In a separate small bowl, mix chai spices together & set aside. (You'll use part for the dough and part for the frosting.)
- In a separate mixing bowl, lightly whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, 3.5 tsp of the chai spices, and salt together.
- Turn the mixer on low speed and gradually add in the flour mixture to the wet. Mix until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.
- Roll into 12 dough balls, roll dough balls into extra granulated sugar, and set them on the pan until you've got your traditional dozen on the pan. (See notes on baking pans.)
- Bake for 8 minutes at 375.
- Remove from oven, allow to cool on the pan for a couple of minutes, and then remove from the pan onto a cooling rack. Repeat with other half of cookie dough. Allow cookies to cool before making & adding the frosting.
To make the frosting:
- Melt the 4 T of butter (I just put mine in my Pyrex measuring cup & microwave for about 25 seconds), and then stir in powdered sugar, vanilla, remaining chai spices (it'll be about 1.5 tsp), and 2 T of whole milk.
- Your glaze should be thick but runny enough that you can spoon it onto your cookies pretty easily. I add about a tablespoon of frosting to each cookie and then use a spoon to gently spread it around just a bit on top of the cookies. If your glaze is too thick for whatever reason, add just a tiny bit (like 1/8 tsp) of milk at a time until it's runny enough - you shouldn't need much!
- You can eat the cookies right away 😉, but if you're transporting these at all, you'll want to let them set for a bit. The icing won't harden completely, but the cookies will become more stackable after several hours of sitting out.
- Store them in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. You'll still have somewhat soft cookies after 4-5 days, but they will be a bit drier; they'll taste best if eaten within about 3 days of making them! ENJOY!
I made these today for a party, and they were so yummy and easy to make! I love a chai latte, and these were the perfect cookie version.
Legit! These cookies are amazing.
I tried it on Christmas Party they were really good. I am making it today for another Christmas party!
These cookies were absolutely delightful to taste, they were the right amount of sweet and perfectly baked! <3
Oh I am so glad to hear that!!