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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!
5 from 11 votes
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Course: Recipes
Cuisine: Dessert
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 41 minutes
Servings: 24 Cookies
Author: TheAmericanPatriette

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!

Notes

Baking Pans: I ALWAYS use my USA Pans when baking cookies. They bake evenly and come right off the pan. If you aren't using this type of pan & your cookie sheets are prone to sticking, you might want to use a layer of parchment paper. 
Frosting: 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 won't spread as easily.)