Somehow it’s already our second to last day of cookie week! Snickerdoodles are a holiday classic, but I have always found them to be a little bit boring. However, I have always loved chai tea and chai-spiced things. It seemed like a natural step to me to add some chai spices to snickerdoodles to bring you these chai snickerdoodles! Not everyone loves a super rich or chocolatey cookie, and these are a great addition to your cookie box. Snickerdoodles are a recipe that everyone will love during the holiday season, and with the additions of cardamom, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and black pepper in addition to the traditional cinnamon you find in snickerdoodles, this is a recipe that everyone will be asking for. Cardamom is one of my favorite spices and I use it in so many baked goods for an extra spicy punch.
How to Make Chai Snickerdoodles
- First, we are going to brown some butter and cream it together with sugar and a little cream cheese. Browning the butter gives the cookies a nutty and caramelly undertone that pairs so well with the chai spices. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the oil and vanilla extract.
- Next, mix together your dry ingredients. We are using a lot of spices here so open up that spice cabinet! Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, and a little bit of black pepper. Take a sniff of this goodness! So many spices will pair together to make this Christmas cookie.
- Mix together the wet and dry ingredients. You’ll get a soft and fragrant dough! Chill for one hour before rolling into balls, and then rolling the balls in your sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom mixture. Bake for 11-12 minutes until the cookies puff up in the middle. Add an extra sprinkle of the cinnamon sugar mixture while they’re still warm, but allow to cool before removing from your cookie sheet.
- Pair with hot cocoa and try not to eat them all at once!
Many of the ingredients in these chai snickerdoodles are pantry staples, especially if you bake regularly. If you don’t already have cardamom in your pantry, I think it’ll be a spice you use regularly! Adding a little bit to cookies, muffins, or banana bread is a lovely addition. I even like to add a little sprinkle to my coffee sometimes! I hope that these snickerdoodles are your new favorite snickerdoodle recipe. They are soft and pillowy and the perfect texture and flavor.
- Chai Snickerdoodles
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ginger
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. cardamom
- ¼ tsp. allspice
- ¼ tsp. cloves
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 6 tbsp. butter
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup flavorless oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. cardamom
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, melt and brown the butter. If you've never browned butter before, you're going to melt it over a low temp until it takes on a caramel color and there are browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Let cool slightly, then transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Be sure to scrape up all those browned bits!
- Add the sugar and the cream cheese to the bowl and mix together until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the oil and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Cover and chill for one hour.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. In a shallow bowl or plate, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom for the topping.
- Form the dough into bowls, then roll in the cinnamon cardamom sugar. Place onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes until the cookies puff up. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon cardamom sugar while they're still warm, then allow to cool before removing from the cookie sheet.
- Enjoy!
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