These Chai Spice Cookies are gorgeously chewy and are full of all the warm flavours of Autumn - think Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom, Cloves, Black Pepper.. and of course I had to add chocolate too.
Chai Spice Cookies
Do you like Masala Chai? I previously shared a recipe for Karak Chai/Masala Chai/Chai Tea here but nowadays depending on where you are, it is just as easy to pick up a Masala Chai on the high street, thanks to places like Chaiiwala.
Chai Tea means two very different things in India and in Indian cafes as opposed to in coffee shops around the UK. To say Chai Tea in India, would mean to say Tea Tea. In the UK, Chai tea usually refers to a spicy milky tea.
Ingredients used in Chai Spiced Cookies
Dark Muscovado Sugar - I chose this because of it's strong Molasses flavour but also because I was after a chewy cookie. I will always choose chewy over crisp and Dark Muscovado Sugar is more hydroscopic than caster sugar. So it holds on to moisture meaning soft and chewy cookies with a rich treacly caramel flavour. I mean..why wouldn't you? Also all of that happens to work really well with warm chai spices.
Caster Sugar - I wanted these cookies to have a slightly crisp edge and to spread a little too. Saying that, I am tempted to try making them with just Dark Muscovado Sugar..I feel an experiment coming on.
Butter - Melted and cooled Butter makes for a chewy cookie. You could brown the butter too to add some nuttiness but I really wanted the flavours of the Chai spices to sing.
Fresh Ginger - I like the heat it adds but this can be left out.
Chocolate - I was tempted to add crystallised ginger and stem ginger instead of chocolate but I love chocolate and so do my kids. We love Ginger too to be fair but the Fresh and powdered Ginger had already covered that so..it had to be chocolate. Any chocolate will work in this recipe. I used a mixture of Dark Chocolate and Valhorna Caramelia.
Fridge Time - Yes it isn't an ingredient but fridge time is an essential part of this recipe because the mixture itself is quite wet and attempting to make cookies from it straight away would result in one large flat rectangular cookie. Fridge time inhibits spread but also allows the dough to rest meaning the flavours develop and caramelise better and the flour soaks up the liquid (egg) in the dough making for a more uniform cookie. The longer the better here. If you can manage 36 hours...do it!
Egg - Again adds to chewiness.
Bicarbonate of Soda - For chewy rather then cakey cookies.
Chai Spices - Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom, Cloves, Black Pepper
Plain Flour - Some people use Bread Flour and that makes for a proper chewy cookie but I think there is enough stuff here to make that happen. Have I said chewy enough?
How to make Chai Spice Cookies
Melt and cool the butter.
Beat with the sugars for 3-4 minutes.
Add the egg and Fresh Ginger and beat for 2 - 3 more minutes.
Fold in the flour, bicarbonate of soda, chai spices and chopped chocolate.
Mix just enough to form a dough then place in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.
Bake in preheated oven for 12 - 15 minutes at 180 C/GM 4.
Tried and Tested Variation
So I tried this recipe with the following variations:
- I used only Dark Muscovado Sugar.
- I added Dermerera Sugar to the top before baking.
- I used a mix of Valhorna Caremelia and Callebout Caramel Chocolate.
- I added an extra egg yolk.
- I mixed for a shorter time at the beginning.
- I baked for 12 minutes only
It made for a similar cookie that slightly more cakey.
Step by Step Photos for Adapted Recipe:
Mix melted and cooled butter and Dark Muscovado Sugar in bowl of stand mixer for 3 minutes.
Add Fresh Ginger and Eggs and mix for another minute.
Fold in flour and bicarbonate of soda.
Stir in dry spices.
Stir in chocolate and then place cookie dough in fridge for n hour or overnight.
Divide dough into 16 pieces and divide between 4 lined trays.
Top with demerera sugar and bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 - 15 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
More Sweet Recipes:
Stem Ginger Banana Upside Down Cake
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Chai Spice Cookies
These Chai Spice Cookies are gorgeously chewy and are full of all the warm flavours of Autumn - think Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom, Cloves, Black Pepper.. and of course I had to add chocolate for a silky creamy mouth feel too.
Ingredients
- 125 g Butter
- 180 g Dark Muscovado Sugar
- 50 g Caster Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 ½ tbsp Fresh Ginger Grated
- 200 g Plain Flour
- Pinch Salt
- 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
- 2 ½ tsp Ground Ginger
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ¾ tsp Ground Cardamom
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
- 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 200 g Chocolate Any you like, Chopped
Instructions
-
Melt and cool the butter for 10 - 15 minutes.
-
Beat melted butter, muscovado sugar and caster sugar for 3 - 4 minutes in the bowl of a stand mixer.
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Add the egg and Fresh Ginger and beat for 2 - 3 more minutes.
-
Fold in the flour, bicarbonate of soda, chai spices and chopped chocolate.
-
Mix just enough to form a dough then place in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.
-
Preheat oven to 180 C/Gas Mark 4.
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Shape into cookies (makes around 15) and place on 3 - 4 lined trays.
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Bake for 12 - 15 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Variations
Adjust the spices according to your taste.
You can skip the Fresh Ginger.
Sub half the chocolate for chopped Crystallised Ginger/Stem Ginger.
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