Crispy buttery shorbread cookies with the warm and spicy flavors of chai.
Have you recovered from your Thanksgiving food coma enough to start making Christmas cookies yet? I’m so ready! Last year, I think I only made one batch (newborn mom life) and the years prior it was business cookie baking 24/7. I’m looking forward to a holiday season that is a little bit of a compromise. These hot cocoa cookies were technically my first batch, a warm-up you could say. These Chai Shortbread Cookies are pretty much the opposite and a very nice follow up.
In fact, sometimes I bake something that I don’t think I’ll like all that much. If it’s not screaming peanut butter, chocolate, or salted caramel, it’s not an obvious sell. But these cookies, they surprised me in a very good way. Much like the chai-spiced fondue I shared a couple of weeks ago, these cookies are full of warm spices that are so comforting. I love how you can even see the specks of spice in the cookies. Between the delicious flavor, the crisp exterior and the buttery mouth feel, these cookies really do deserve a spot on your Christmas cookie tray. And don’t forget, you can make them now and freeze them until you need them. Easy holiday planning for sure!
- 227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 150g (~3/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 120g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar, sifted
- 15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) pure vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅓ teaspoon black pepper
- 1g (1/4 teaspoon) salt
- 265g (~2 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or slipat; set aside
- Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy
- Add vanilla, spices and salt and beat until well combined
- Stir in flour
- Scoop with a medium cookie dough scoop (2 tablespoons each) onto prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart
- Bake for 13-15 minutes or until very light brown around the edges (bake for less time if looking for a slightly chewier cookie)
- Allow cookies to cool on cooling rack
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to one week or in the freezer for up to two months
Make something from the blog? Be sure to share it on Instagram with the tag #KeepItSweetDesserts.
You might also like:
Chewy Milk Chocolate Ginger Cookies
Brown-Sugar Chai Spiced Caramel Fondue
I’m always on the lookout for new xmas cookie ideas and this flavor combo sounds perfect and isn’t like anything else I have. I’ll have to mark this down for when I finally find the time to bake!