Name: Chewy Chai-Spice Sugar Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons granulated sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon chai-spice, for rolling the cookies in; 1 cup + 1 tablespoon whole wheat pastry flour; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons chai-spice mix (for a less spiced cookie use 1 1/2 teaspoons); 1 ounce low fat cream cheese; 2/3 cup granulated sugar; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 egg yolk; 1 tablespoon milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chewy sugar cookies all dressed up for the holidays! Crisp edges, soft and chewy in the middle and plenty of chai-spice. These Chewy Chai-Spice Sugar Cookies are perfection!

It’s that time of year you guys! Time to grab the butter, sugar, flour and your mixing bowls and bake a batch of Christmas cookies! This year I’m sharing two cookie recipes with you. These Chewy Chai-Spice Sugar Cookies are up first and they are an absolute must bake. I’ve never made such a perfect sugar cookie and the added chai spice was just the touch of holiday flavor that they needed!

I have a love hate relationship with Christmas cookies and I’m sure I’m not alone. I love baking them, sharing them with neighbors and family and of course eating them. The eating them is where the problem lies, because I lack self control when there is a batch of freshly baked cookies in the house.

I don’t know if it’s the intoxicating smell, the butter and sugar or that feeling of comfort and happiness when you take the first bite. Whatever it is, I’m incapable of only eating one cookie no matter how many pep talks I give myself. Not to mention I eat at least a cookie’s worth of dough while making them. I pretend like that one doesn’t count though.

The two Christmas cookies I’m sharing with you this year are equally delicious, however one of them is on the nice list and the other on the naughty. These Chewy Chai-Spice Sugar Cookies happen to be the naughty ones, but they are worth every calorie if you ask me.

The sugar cookie itself is based off of the recipe that I saw in my Cook’s Country magazine, the same group responsible for America’s Test Kitchen. I love their recipes because they’ve tested them numerous times and they always explain their reasoning for using certain ingredients or a particular cooking or baking method. I have yet to have one of their recipes fail me.

To add my own twist to these perfect chewy sugar cookies I decided to add chai-spice. It’s a wonderful combination of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, allspice and sometimes black pepper. You can make it yourself (I used this recipe) or many specialty food stores carry a pre-made spice blend. The warm, fragrant spices really took these sugar cookies to the next level and added a nice touch of holiday flavor.

Instead of using all-purpose flour I went with whole wheat pastry flour. I had to use at least one wholesome ingredient to make myself better about eating three in one day! I hope you guys love these “naughty” Christmas cookies and if you’re craving something a little “nicer” come back next Monday. Enjoy!

Chewy Chai-Spice Sugar Cookies

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons granulated sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon chai-spice, for rolling the cookies in
1 cup + 1 tablespoon whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chai-spice mix (for a less spiced cookie use 1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 ounce low fat cream cheese
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

In a small bowl whisk together the 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of chai-spice. Set aside.
In a medium sized bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chai-spice.
Put the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl then pour the melted butter over them. Whisk to combine. Whisk in the oil.
Add in the egg yolk, vanilla and milk and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
Pour the dry ingredients in with the wet and stir together with a rubber spatula until everything is incorporated. Place the bowl of dough in the freezer to chill for about 10 minutes.
While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove the dough from the freezer and scoop out 2 tablespoons of dough. Use your hands to roll the dough into a ball, then roll it in the chai-spice sugar. Evenly space all 12 balls onto the prepared baking sheet. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to flatten the balls until they are 2 inches in diameter.
Sprinkle the tops with more chai-spice sugar then place them on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 11-13 (rotating the cookie sheet halfway through the baking time) minutes or until the edges are set and they are just starting to brown.
Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving them onto a wire rack to cool completely.