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Turn the flavor of your snickerdoodles up a notch by adding chai spices!
Ugh is it really already Monday again! Why does the weekend have to go by so fast? I think the only thing that is going to make this day a little brighter is having a recipe for Chai Spiced Snickerdoodle Bars. Oh hey! You’re in luck because that’s what I’m sharing today!
I could have just made snickerdoodle bars and that would have been fantastic, but when you have an eleven dollar bottle of cardamom sitting in your spice cabinet you opt to make chai spiced snickerdoodles rather than regular. Cardamom is one of those spices that I don’t use all that often. Besides these bars I think I have about a handful of other recipes that I make using it, one of which is my grandma’s cookie recipe that I’ll be sure to share in the next month. I actually really love cardamom because it has such a unique flavor. To be honest it’s very hard for me to describe. If you’ve had chai tea before and you taste a flavor you just can’t seem to identify, that’s the cardamom. It has both a sweet and savory aspect to it and lends itself well to enhancing baked goods as well as meats.
I love baking with it around the holidays probably because it pairs so well with cinnamon which is something I commonly use this time of year. Since cinnamon is one of the key ingredients in snickerdoodles, I thought why not turn them up a notch and add all the chai spices. The addition of the cloves, cardamom, and black pepper (yes that’s correct) along with the cinnamon really enhances the flavor of the bars and reminds you of that delicious cup of chai tea. You should probably have a cup of chai tea or a chai tea latte while you’re eating a couple of these bars!
The chai spiced snickerdoodle bars are easy to make, plus unlike cookies you don’t have to worry if they are going to spread out all over the pan. Living at high altitude, having my cookies spread out all of the pan is a constant battle. One of my favorite parts about these bars is the cinnamon-cardamom sugar that is sprinkled over the top. Once that spiced sugar is baked onto the bars it creates a sweet crispy, crackly crust on top that I absolutely love! If you’re like me and have that eleven dollar bottle of cardamom sitting in your spice cabinet and you’re not sure what to do with it, start by making these chai spiced snickerdoodle bars!
Chai Spiced Snickerdoodle Bars
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch of black pepper
Wet Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon-Cardamom Sugar Topping
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line an 8x8 baking with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt and spices in a bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl once.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients and beat together on low speed just until combined.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared 8x8 baking pan.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon-cardamom sugar evenly over the top of the batter.
- Bake the bars for 18-20 minutes or just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, don't overbake or they will be dry.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Chai Spiced Recipes:
I’ve not tried this yet; probably I will someday. However, I’m about to try a recipe with the same name “Chai-spiced Snickerdoodles” on page 23 of a recent Better Homes & Gardens (BHG) Christmas Cookies magazine because my wife wants me to use that recipe. I compared the ingredients ands it seems they’re fairly different recipes, so I’m interested to understand (a) why are the recipes so different, and (b) how others (including Danae and other cooks who provide recipes) like this one (Danae’s), as compared to the one in this recent BH&G magazine.
I haven’t seen this recipe so I don’t know. Let me know if you try your version.
What a nice twist on traditional snickerdoodles! Love your use of cardamom in these.
Thanks Sarah! I love adding it into baked goods!
Chai spices are the best! I wonder what a touch of espresso and some dark chocolate chips would taste like in these! Yum!
It could only make them better!
So snickerdoodles are the bomb, but these?! Wow! I love cardamom so much, and I can just imagine how delicious (and dangerous for me) these are! Wonderful recipe!
Thanks Patricia! They were very dangerous to have sitting around in the house, I’m pretty sure I ate half of them the day I made them!
I need to make these ASAP! I am obsessed with snickerdoodles and you know how much I love tea. I can only imagine how good these must be. I hope you had a great weekend. It definitely goes by way too fast!
Thanks Ashley! I wish we could sit and have these bars and a cup of tea together! :-)
Snickerdoodles are a house favorite! These looks so easy!
They are super easy Julianne, easier than cookies if you ask me!
Ummmmm… I am pretty sure that you came up with these just for me! ;) Two of my faves in one yummy dessert- chai spices and snickerdoodles!
Well of course I came up with them just for you Carrie! ;-)
Oh wow! Chai Snickerdoodle Bars sound so good, two of my favorite things in one!
Thanks Marye!
Thank Marye!
Dear Danae, Your snickerdoodle bars look perfect! I would love one this morning with my tea. xo, Catherine
Thanks Catherine!
Thanks Catherine! They would be lovely with a cup of tea!