Chai Sugar Cookies
Spiced soft cookies with a chai spiced cream cheese frosting. Made with a homemade chai flavoring blend!
Servings 18
Ingredients
Chai Spice Mix
- 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons cardamom
- 2 teaspoons allspice
- 2 teaspoons nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- Chai spice mix recipe above
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar optional: sifted
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Instructions
Chai Spice Mix:
- In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, ground ginger, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, ground cloves, and freshly cracked black pepper. Set aside.1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 2 teaspoons cardamom, 2 teaspoons allspice, 2 teaspoons nutmeg, 2 teaspoons ground cloves, ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and vegetable oil on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup powdered sugar, ½ cup vegetable oil
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add one egg and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds, then add the second egg and mix again for 30 seconds.2 large eggs
- Add the sour cream and vanilla extract, mixing on low-medium speed for an additional 30 seconds.¼ cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gradually add the flour, chai spice mix, baking soda, cream of tartar, and sea salt. Mix on low speed until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.5 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, Chai spice mix, ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- In a shallow dish, place about ⅓ cup granulated sugar. Using a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons), portion the dough and roll it into balls. Roll each ball in the sugar and place them onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart. (You can bake about 9 cookies per pan.)
- Using the bottom of a glass cup (about 2 inches in diameter), lightly press the dough balls to about ½-inch thickness.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies no longer look wet. Avoid letting the edges or bottoms turn golden, as this will make the cookies dry. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them sit on the pan for about 5 minutes until they are firm enough to move to a cooling rack. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until creamy and well combined, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.¾ cup unsalted butter, 4 ounces cream cheese
- Add the vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and chai spices (cinnamon, ground ginger, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, ground cloves, and freshly cracked black pepper) to the mixture. Mix on medium speed until well combined.1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, Pinch of salt, 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, while mixing on low speed.4 cups powdered sugar
- Drizzle in the heavy whipping cream as you continue to mix. This will help achieve a creamy and spreadable consistency.¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat the frosting for 2-3 minutes until it is smooth, creamy, and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well combined.
- Drizzle in the heavy whipping cream as you continue to mix. This will help achieve a creamy and spreadable consistency.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and continue to beat the frosting for 2-3 minutes until it's smooth, creamy, and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well combined.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, and no longer warm, frost the with a small offset spatula and evenly spread to the edge of the cookie.