Description
These Maple Chai Sugar Cookies combine cozy chai spices with a tender sugar cookie base, finished with a luscious maple-infused icing. Perfect for festive occasions or a comforting treat, these cookies balance warm cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg flavors with a delicate maple glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 4 ¼ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Chai Sugar Topping
- ¼ cup butter (melted)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Maple Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure maple extract
- 2-5 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, kosher salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Cream Butter and Brown Sugar: In another large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the softened unsalted butter with light brown sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and creamy.
- Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Add Vanilla: Stir the pure vanilla extract into the butter and sugar mixture and mix well.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, beating until a smooth dough forms.
- Roll Out Dough: Lightly flour a cutting board or pastry surface, then roll the cookie dough into a ¼-inch thick layer for even baking.
- Cut Cookies: Use a cookie cutter to cut out circles from the dough.
- Arrange and Bake: Place 12-14 cookie circles on each prepared baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the edges just start to lightly brown.
- Cool on Sheets: Remove baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks.
- Cool Completely: Allow all cookies to cool completely on wire racks to ensure proper texture before decorating.
- Prepare Chai Sugar Topping: In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, ground cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- Melt Butter: Melt ¼ cup butter in a small bowl for brushing onto the cookies.
- Butter the Cookies: Using a BBQ brush, lightly brush the melted butter over the surface of each cooled cookie.
- Sprinkle Chai Sugar: Generously sprinkle the chai spiced sugar mixture over the buttered cookies to add a crispy, spicy coating.
- Make Maple Icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and pure maple extract. Add 2 tablespoons of milk and whisk until smooth. If the icing is still lumpy, add 1-2 teaspoons more milk until the desired consistency is reached.
- Pipe the Icing: Transfer the icing to a piping bag and cut off the tip. Drizzle decorative lines of icing over the cookies.
- Set the Icing: Allow the icing to set completely before serving or storing to ensure it holds its shape.
Notes
- You can store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For softer cookies, slightly underbake by reducing baking time by 1-2 minutes.
- If you don’t have pure maple extract, you can substitute with high-quality maple syrup, but reduce added liquid accordingly.
- Ensure the butter for the dough is softened, not melted, for the best texture.
- Adjust the chai spice quantities to suit your personal taste preference.
