These chai sugar cookies are soft, buttery, and lightly spiced with warm chai flavors like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and black tea. The glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness without overpowering the cozy spices.
If fall had a cookie, this would be it.
I love to make these chai cookies in August when Rust is on the door (iykyk), just when summer starts to fade into fall. They are so good and so easy to make. This version has a freshly milled flour twist that adds a subtle nutty flavor, but they’re just as delicious with all-purpose flour if that’s what you have on hand. Whether you’re spending the afternoon watching Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions, reading your favorite fall book, or simply enjoying a quiet cup of tea, these cookies are the perfect little cozy treat.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Recipe Tips
Chill the dough – Chilling helps the cookies stay thick, soft, and chewy while preventing too much spreading.
Roll the dough in sugar – Rolling each cookie in granulated sugar before baking gives the outside a delicate sparkle and just a little crunch.
Don’t overbake – Pull the cookies from the oven when the centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll finish baking as they cool and stay wonderfully soft.
Let the cookies cool completely – Waiting until the cookies are cool keeps the glaze from melting off the tops.
Instructions
- Preheat – Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream the Butter & Oil – Beat together the butter and vegetable oil until light and fluffy.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients – Mix in the granulated sugar, powdered sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the Dry Ingredients – Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and the loose tea from one chai tea bag. Mix just until combined.
- Chill the Dough – Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Shape the Cookies – Roll the dough into 12 equal balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar, place on the prepared baking sheet, and gently flatten slightly.
- Bake – Bake for 9–14 minutes, just until the edges are set and the centers still look soft.
- Cool – Allow the cookies to cool completely.
- Make the Glaze – Whisk together the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, loose chai tea, and enough milk to create a smooth drizzle.
- Glaze the Cookies – Spoon the glaze over the cooled cookies and finish with a light sprinkle of cinnamon if you’d like.
- Serve & Enjoy – Enjoy with your favorite cup of tea and your current comfort watch.
Storage and Freezing
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- The cookie dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking.
- You can also freeze the baked cookies or unbaked dough for up to 3 months. Let frozen dough thaw slightly before baking as directed.
Recipe FAQs
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Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
- Whisk
Ingredients
For the Chai Sugar Cookies
- ½ cup salted butter softened, 113 grams
- ½ cup vegetable oil 112 grams
- ½ cup granulated sugar plus extra for rolling, 100 grams
- ½ cup powdered sugar 60 grams
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 10 grams
- 2 cups all-purpose flour or 2 2/3 cups freshly milled flour blend 240 grams ( freshly milled 318 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda about 2 grams
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt about 1 gram
- 1 chai tea bag opened
For the Chai Glaze
- 1½ cups powdered sugar sifted, 180 grams
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon about 0.7 gram
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg about 0.5 gram
- 2 –3 tablespoons milk 30–45 grams
- 1 teaspoon loose chai tea about 2 grams
For Freshly Milled Flour All Purpose Blend
- 144 grams hard white wheat
- 174 grams soft white wheat
Instructions
- Preheat the oven – Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and oil – Add the softened salted butter and vegetable oil to a mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the sugar and wet ingredients – Add the granulated sugar, powdered sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth and evenly combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and chai – Add the flour, baking soda, kosher salt, and loose tea from the opened chai tea bag. Mix just until the dough comes together and no dry streaks of flour remain.
- Chill the dough – Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for 1 hour. Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape and bake up thick and chewy.
- Shape the cookies – Divide the chilled dough into 12 evenly sized balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar, arrange on the prepared baking sheet, and gently flatten each one.
- Bake the cookies – Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 9–14 minutes. For a soft, chewy texture, remove the cookies while they are still slightly underbaked in the center rather than waiting for them to become deeply golden.
- Cool completely – Allow the cookies to cool before glazing so the glaze stays on top instead of melting into the warm cookies.
- Make the chai glaze – Whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, 2 tablespoons of milk, and loose chai tea until smooth. Add additional milk as needed until the glaze reaches a smooth consistency for spooning over the cookies.
- Glaze the cookies – Spoon the chai glaze over the completely cooled cookies. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon, if desired, and allow the glaze to set before serving.
Notes
- Chill the Dough – Refrigerate the cookie dough for the full hour before shaping and baking. This helps the cookies stay thicker and gives them their soft, chewy texture. Fresh Milled Flour Tip – Freshly milled flour adds a subtle nutty flavor to these chai sugar cookies. The recipe can also be made with all-purpose flour as provided in the original recipe. Watch the Bake Time – Slightly underbaking the cookies gives them the softest texture. Begin checking at 9 minutes and use the appearance and texture of the cookies rather than waiting for them to become deeply browned. Seasonal Glaze – For a holiday version, use eggnog in place of the milk in the chai glaze. It pairs naturally with the cinnamon, nutmeg, and chai flavors.
Did you try this recipe?
If you give it a try, I hope it fills your kitchen with something comforting. I’d love to see your version—tag me on IG @rubyscozycottage
Ruby
Lifestyle blogger blending cottage comfort with a warm, bookish cozy-academia charm. I share whimsical, cozy recipes, gentle cottage inspiration, and the everyday magic that makes home feel inviting and quietly enchanting.
