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Dirty Vanilla Chai Latte Cookies Recipe

4.7 from 93 reviews

These Dirty Vanilla Chai Latte Cookies are a delightful blend of warm chai spices, rich espresso, and vanilla, baked into soft, chewy cookies with a smooth vanilla chai glaze. Perfect for cozy afternoons or teatime, they combine comforting flavors with a subtle kick of coffee and aromatic spices.

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

  1. 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 well combined. Set this mixture aside for later use.
  2. Cream the Butter and Sugars: In another large bowl, use an electric mixer or whisk to beat the softened unsalted butter, packed brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which helps create a tender texture in the cookies.
  3. Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the large egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract thoroughly. Then, slowly pour in the cooled, strongly brewed chai tea while continuing to mix until the batter is smooth and evenly combined without overmixing.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently just until everything is combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies soft and chewy.
  5. Scoop & Bake: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, place portions of the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them to allow spreading. Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges turn lightly golden, indicating they are perfectly baked.
  6. 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 to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before glazing.
  7. Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and chai tea (or milk) until the glaze is smooth and pourable.
  8. Drizzle & Enjoy: Drizzle the vanilla chai glaze over the cooled cookies. Allow the glaze to set slightly before serving, enhancing flavor and adding a lovely finish to each cookie.

Notes

  • Steep your chai tea strongly for at least 5 minutes to extract the best flavors.
  • Use room temperature butter, eggs, and chai to get smoother dough and better mixing results.
  • Do not overmix the dough to ensure soft, chewy cookies.
  • Chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking improves the texture and flavor development.
  • Drizzle glaze while the cookies are warm for a melting, flavorful finish.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
  • You can freeze the dough for up to 3 months; bake from frozen by adding extra baking time.
  • Reheat cookies for 10 seconds in the microwave for a freshly baked feel.
  • Dairy-free option: replace butter with plant-based butter and use non-dairy milk in the glaze.
  • No espresso powder? Substitute with finely ground instant coffee.
  • For an extra spice kick, consider adding more cinnamon or a pinch of black pepper.

Keywords: chai latte cookies, vanilla chai cookies, espresso cookies, spiced cookies, homemade chai cookies, vanilla chai glaze, cozy cookies