Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp chai spice blend, divided
Chai Spice Blend
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cloves
Wet Ingredients
- 16 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cubed (1 cup)
- 1 cup sugar (+ 1 Tbsp for rolling)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Vanilla Bean Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 3 Tbsp milk (plus more as needed)
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set it aside for later use.
- Make Chai Spice Blend: In a small bowl, whisk together ground cinnamon, ground ginger, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves to create the chai spice blend which will flavor both the dough and the coating.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, cake flour, cornstarch, 1 heaping tablespoon of the chai spice blend, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cold cubed butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy, approximately 1-2 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture and mix thoroughly. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is well combined.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients in increments of about 1/4 cup, mixing until just incorporated each time to form the cookie dough.
- Shape Cookie Dough: Roll the cookie dough into approximately 6-7 large balls or make smaller balls if you prefer to yield 20-22 cookies. Mix the remaining chai spice blend with 1 tablespoon of sugar and roll each dough ball in this mixture to coat.
- Bake Cookies: Arrange the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 10-11 minutes for larger cookies or 8-10 minutes for smaller ones. After baking, allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.
- Prepare Vanilla Bean Glaze: Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a medium bowl. Add milk and vanilla bean paste, stirring until smooth and thick. Adjust consistency by adding more milk if necessary but keep the glaze thick.
- Glaze Cookies: Spoon or dunk cooled cookies into the glaze. Allow the glaze to dry completely before serving for the best texture and flavor experience.
Notes
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to avoid gooey or under-set cookies. They taste even better the next day.
- You can make the cookies smaller to yield more; just adjust the baking time accordingly.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Avoid refrigerating as it may cause the cookies to stale faster.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
