Chai Cookies: The Essential Fall Spice Sweet

There’s something magical about the aroma of chai spices drifting through the kitchen on a crisp fall day. These Chai Cookies bring together the buttery richness of brown-butter dough with the warm, comforting flavors of The Spice & Tea Exchange® Chai Baking Spice Blend — the perfect sweet treat to pair with your afternoon tea.

This recipe comes from our dear friend Sue, whose chai-spiced cookies have become a fall favorite around here. With brown-butter richness and warm spice, they’re the perfect sweet to share over a cozy cup of tea.

Sprinkled with Chai Sugar for that signature sparkle, they’re simple to make, deeply flavorful, and beautifully fragrant — like autumn, baked into a cookie.

Ingredients

• TSTE Chai Sugar (for sprinkling)

• 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter

• 2 cups flour

• 2 ½ Tbsp TSTE Chai Baking Spice Blend

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 ¼ cups brown sugar

• 4 egg yolks, at room temperature

• 2 tsp TSTE Vanilla Extract

• ½ Tbsp heavy cream

• ½ Tbsp molasses

Directions

1. Brown the butter:
   In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking until it turns foamy and gives off a nutty aroma with golden-brown bits forming at the bottom (about 5–8 minutes). Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl. Chill until solid but still soft enough to mix.

2. Prep the oven:
   Preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. Mix dry ingredients:
   In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, Chai Baking Spice Blend, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

4. Cream butter & sugar:
   In a large bowl, whip the cooled brown butter until fluffy. Add brown sugar and beat until fully combined and creamy.

5. Add wet ingredients:
   Beat in egg yolks, vanilla, heavy cream, and molasses until smooth.

6. Combine:
   Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, blending on low speed until a soft dough forms.

7. Shape & bake:
   Scoop dough into 2-Tbsp portions (about 22 cookies). Bake 11–12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden.

8. Finish:
   Let cookies cool 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Chai Tea Frosting

For an extra touch of indulgence, steep 1 Tbsp TSTE Chocolate Chai Black Tea in ½ cup hot water for 3 minutes. Strain, cool, and then whisk the tea concentrate with 1 cup powdered sugar until smooth.
Drizzle over cooled cookies and sprinkle with TSTE Chai Sugar for a finishing sparkle.