Chewy Chai Masala Snickerdoodles

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These Chewy Chai Masala Snickerdoodles are an all-time reader favorite. They’re chewy, fluffy and spiced with flavors of your favorite cup of chai. They’re easy to make (zero chilling time). Serve them with a cup of Homemade Hot Chocolate.

Chai Snickerdoodles on a plate.

This recipe for Chewy Chai Masala Snickerdoodles are hands-down been the most-made recipe from my cookbook The Year of Cozy.

When the holidays roll around, these are all I crave. They’re chewy, perfectly spiced with a combination of black pepper, cardamom, ginger and cinnamon. I love giving these away because they have a bit of staying power. They taste delicious even if they’re not straight from the oven.

Ingredients You’ll Need for these Chai Snickerdoodles

Ingredients for Chai Snickerdoodles.
  1. Spices – This cookie has all the spices from a cup of chai. We have ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, all spice and black pepper.
  2. Cream cheese – This gives the cookie a bit of toothsome that is just delicious.
  3. Eggs – Giving these cookies structure, flavor and color.
  4. Oil – This provides the cookies with a bit of moisture that is really delicious.

For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe card below!

Ingredients with my cookbook.

Snickerdoodles Should Be Chewy and Fluffy!

I love a chewy cookie (see: my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies).The chewiness is heavenly. I attribute the cream cheese to their good texture. It’s truly magical in these.

I want all snickerdoodles to be chewy cookies! Dreamy texture.

Let’s Talk About Chai Masala!

When you’re using the spices that go into chai without the tea part, it’s referred to as Chai Masala. The spices in these Chewy Chai Masala Snickerdoodles are as follows: ginger, cardamom, black pepper, cloves and allspice. All of these spices are so warm and delicious.

Flour being added to a mixer.

How to Make Chewy Chai Masala Snickerdoodles

  1. Dry ingredients – Whisk the dry ingredients together. We have the flour, leavening, salt and spices. And we have a lot of spices!
  2. Wet ingredients – Beat together the sugar, cream cheese, melted butter, oil, egg, milk and vanilla.
  3. Combine the two – Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix it until just combined. Make sure to not over mix the cookie dough.
  4. Make the sugar and spice mixture – This is what the cookies are going to be rolled in. Mix the two together on a shallow plate and set aside.
  5. Scoop out the dough – You could use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon. Roll the balls in between your hands and roll it in the sugar mixture. Transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat
  6. Sprinkle the tops with sugar – Add a bit more sugar/spice mixture to each ball of cookie dough.
  7. Bake them up! – When they come out of the oven, they’ll be warm and delicious.
Dough on a baking sheet.

Tips and Tricks

  • To flatten or not to flatten – The final cookies you see in this blog post have been flattened on the baking sheet with a glass (before they’re baked). The ones you see in the video have not been flattened. Either way will work! I like the unflattened ones at the moment because they’re thicker and fluffier.
  • If the dough is too soft – Some people have said the dough is too soft to handle. That’s ok! Just stick in the fridge for 30 minutes. That’ll help firm up the dough so you can handle it.
Chewy Chai Masala Snickerdoodles on a plate.

Recipe FAQs

How long do these last?

Store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes absolutely. I would bake them at 300F from frozen.

Chewy Chai Masala Snickerdoodles on a plate with chai.

What to Serve with these Snickerdoodles

If you tried these Chewy Chai Snickerdoodles or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

5 from 12 votes

Chewy Chai Snickerdoodles Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
These Chewy Chai Masala Snickerdoodles are the perfect addition to your holiday table. These snickerdoodles are chewy and soft.

Equipment

  • 1 half sheet baking pan
  • 1 (2-ounce) cookie scoop

Ingredients 

Snickerdoodles:

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
  • 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and warm
  • 1/3 cup neutral oil, (such as grape seed, vegetable or avocado oil)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk, (oat milk works too!)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Sugar + Spice Coating:

  • 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch ground cardamom

Instructions 

To Make the Cookie Dough:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, allspice, and pepper.
  • To the large bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar, cream cheese, and butter. Beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the oil and beat until incorporated. next, add the egg, milk, and vanilla. Continue to beat until smooth. In 2 additions, add the flour mixture, being sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl in between, until just mixed.

To Make the Sugar + Spice Coating:

  • On a small plate, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom.

To Bake the Cookies:

  • Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces or about 2 tablespoons each (or you can use a medium cookie scoop). Using your hands, roll the dough pieces into balls. Working in batches, roll the balls in the sugar and spice mixture. Place them on a the baking sheet about 4-inches apart (these will spread). Sprinkle the tops evenly with some of the remaining sugar + spice mixture.
  • Bake 1 tray at a time for 11 to 12 minutes, rotating the tray after 7 minutes, or until the edges are set and just beginning to brown. Continue until all the cookies are baked. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature before serving.

Notes

Tips and Tricks:
  • To flatten or not to flatten – The final cookies you see in this blog post have been flattened on the baking sheet with a glass (before they’re baked). The ones you see in the video have not been flattened. Either way will work! I like the unflattened ones at the moment because they’re thicker and fluffier.
  • If the dough is too soft – Some people have said the dough is too soft to handle. That’s ok! Just stick in the fridge for 30 minutes. That’ll help firm up the dough so you can handle it.
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 119IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Christmas, Holiday
Like this Recipe? Please Rate & comment below!

Cozy Latin-Inspired Comfort Food Recipes

Hi! I'm Adrianna and this is my cozy space on the internet that is super-charged by butter, flour and copious amounts of pasta. Stay awhile, will you!

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17 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These were REALLY good! Definitely met the chai flavor & chew I was looking for in a cookie. I was surprised how it taste like it had cream of tartar, but it didn’t. I wonder if the cream cheese gave that flavor. Next time I’ll use the same chai seasoning with the sugar to roll the cookies.

  2. So excited to attempt this but what’s the best way to do this recipe with metrics instead of cups? I find that my “cup” of flour is very different from what recipes usually call for.

  3. 5 stars
    I used whole spices and ground them with a mortar and pestle, so I think my chai flavor was stronger than if I were to have used pre-ground spices. However, I personally loved how strong the chai taste was. Tasted perfect with tea. I liked the tip of flattening the cookies with a glass prior to baking – my friends said the cookies looked professionally baked! This was a hit with my friends and family. Thanks for the great recipe.

  4. 5 stars
    Ok so I thought the chai masala chocolate chip cookies slapped but damn damn damn! I saw this recipe on your Instagram and knew I had to try this sooner rather than later. I just tasted one after they came out of the oven and omg so good! Like the chocolate chip cookies, they way they spread when they are in the oven is just glorious. In fact, I’m pretty sure you’re the first blogger who has successfully taught me to master the perfect cookie. I can’t wait for my boyfriend to try these!