Description
These Dirty Vanilla Chai Latte Cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with warm spices and a subtle coffee kick. Infused with a blend of chai spices, rich vanilla, and a hint of espresso, these cookies are perfectly complemented by a smooth vanilla chai glaze that melts into the tops. Ideal for cozy afternoons or pairing with your favorite cup of tea or coffee, these cookies offer an irresistible balance of sweet and spicy flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp instant espresso powder
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup strongly brewed chai tea, cooled
For the Vanilla Chai Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp chai tea (or milk)
Instructions
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cardamom, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and instant espresso powder until evenly combined. Set this dry mixture aside.
- Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer or a whisk to beat the softened unsalted butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and creamy. This aerates the butter and helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: To the creamed butter mixture, beat in the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Slowly pour in the cooled, strongly brewed chai tea and mix gently until the batter is smooth and uniform.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined. Be careful not to overmix to maintain a soft and chewy texture in the cookies.
- Scoop & Bake: Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop dollops of cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them evenly. Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges turn a light golden brown.
- Cool the Cookies: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes to firm up. Then transfer them onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Make the Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and chai tea (or milk) until the glaze is smooth and pourable.
- Drizzle & Enjoy: Drizzle the vanilla chai glaze over the cooled cookies. Let the glaze set for a few minutes before serving to enjoy a perfect balance of soft cookies and sweet glaze.
Notes
- Steep your chai tea strongly for at least 5 minutes to maximize flavor.
- Ensure butter, eggs, and chai tea are at room temperature for smoother batter and better texture.
- Do not overmix the dough to keep cookies soft and chewy.
- For best flavor and texture, chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes before baking, if time allows.
- Drizzle glaze while cookies are warm to help it meld into the tops for extra yumminess.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Cookie dough can be made ahead and frozen for up to 3 months; bake from frozen or thaw before baking.
- To keep the recipe dairy-free, substitute butter with plant-based butter and use non-dairy milk or chai tea in the glaze.
- If you don’t have espresso powder, finely ground instant coffee is a good substitute.
- Add extra cinnamon or a pinch of black pepper to intensify the chai spice warmth.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chai latte cookies, vanilla chai cookies, dirty chai cookies, spiced cookies, espresso cookies, chai spice dessert, homemade cookies, vanilla glaze, warm spice cookies
