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Chai Butter Cookies are an easy slice-and-bake cookie with warm chai spices. They’re crunchy with crumbly soft centers and they are perfectly spiced. These have become our favorite fall and winter cookie recipe!
Ever since I made Taylor Swift’s Chai Cookies I’ve been obsessed with chai spices. I’m not a huge tea fan, so I don’t drink chai, but in dessert? I’m here for it.
When I was testing butter cookie recipes I decided to try adding my favorite new spice blend and the combination worked so beautifully. The rich buttery cookies with the warm spices just taste like fall and the holidays – they’ll keep you warm this winter!
How to make Chai Butter Cookies
- For any shortbread or butter cookie recipe, you want to use a good quality unsalted butter. Don’t make any substitutions or your cookies won’t turn out properly.
- These aren’t exactly shortbread cookies because they have baking powder and an egg yolk. The fat from the egg yolk makes these super rich and the baking powder add a soft crumbly texture.
- What’s in chai spice? You’ll want a combination of ground spices: ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, and a pinch of black pepper.
- Once the dough is made you get two logs that you must chill so you can slice and bake them.
- Chai Butter Cookies bake at 350°F for 16-18 minutes until they are light golden around the edges and on the bottom when they’re done baking.
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Dorothy’s Expert Tips
- To avoid the “flat” sided slice and bake cookie, chill these upright in a drinking glass.
- Make sure to cut each cookie the same thickness so they bake evenly.
- In a pinch, use a bag of chai (the contents of the tea bag, just cut it open and use that).
- You can easily double this recipe by just doubling all the ingredients.
Chai Butter Cookies Recipe
Easy Chai Butter Cookies – a classic butter cookie recipe full of warm chai spices – this slice and bake cookie is perfect for Christmas or anytime of year.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 43 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup (134g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch Ground Black Pepper
- 2 cups (248g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy in a large bowl using a hand or a stand mixer, about 1-2 minutes.
- Mix in egg yolk, baking powder, salt and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Whisk ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper into the flour, then mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until dough forms.
- Divide dough into two sections. Roll each into a log that is about 6-7-inches long and approximately 1 ½-inches in diameter. (You can make these any size, larger or smaller, if you prefer.)
- Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours before slicing, or up to overnight. Tip: Place the logs standing up in drinking glasses so they stay circular.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Slice cookies desired thickness, no more than ¼-inches. Place on cookies sheets covered with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until they’re light golden around the edges and no longer glossy.
- You may want to check part way through baking to see if you need to rotate your pans in your oven, even if you normally don’t. These are delicate cookies and may brown in different areas quicker or slower.
- Cool on cookie sheets then store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 13mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Chai Butter Cookies step-by-step
- Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachement.
- Mix in baking powder, salt, egg yolk, and vanilla. Mix in flour until dough forms.
- Whisk together the spices and mix into the dough.
- Roll into two logs and wrap well. Chill.
- Slice cookies then bake on a cookie sheet at 350°F.
