These chai sugar cookies are one of my favourites to enjoy with a cup of tea! They are thick and chewy, filled with the cosy warm spices of chai. Made in just 30 minutes, you’ll love this simple recipe using everyday pantry staple ingredients. Plus they are completely dairy free!
Sugar cookies have become my favourite easy dairy free cookie to make. They are such a simple recipe combining everyday pantry staple ingredients, they don’t require any chilling of the dough (meaning they take just 30 minutes to make), and they taste insanely good.
My evenings are happier when I can settle down after dinner on the couch with a good show, a peppermint tea and a sugar cookie.
This version is my latest obsession. After making my dairy free French toast casserole recently which is flavoured with chai spice, I had some leftover and knew that it would make the most delicious soft and chewy cookies.
When testing these cookies, I used my tried and true dairy free sugar cookies recipe as a base, however I knew I wanted these to be slightly smaller and thicker so I increased the quantity of flour just slightly.
The result is the perfect thick and chewy cookie where the middle is soft but the edges have a slight crispness to them. They are just perfect if you ask me! These cookies are simple enough to bake on a weeknight or on the weekend with kids, and will make a fantastic addition to your holiday baking bucket list!
Key Ingredients
To make these simple chai sugar cookies you’ll need a few standard pantry staples.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Dairy free butter – use a quality dairy free butter substitute here for the best flavour. I love and always use Nuttelex Buttery which is an Australian product. In the US, the closest alternative is Earth Balance which I understand to be very similar.
- White sugar/granulated sugar – these are sugar cookies after all! I don’t recommend reducing the sugar in this recipe as it’s the key to the flavour. You’ll also roll the cookies in sugar before baking.
- Egg – to give the cookies that soft and chewy texture.
- Vanilla – a bit of vanilla extract really enhances the overall flavour of these cookies.
- Chai spice – I use my homemade chai spice which is a combination of ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US.
- Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda/baking soda – both are essential in these cookies to help ensure they puff up and deflate to give the cookies a chewy texture and crackly top.
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Flavour Variations
While these cookies are flavoured with chai spice, you can substitute it with either of the following for a delicious variation.
- Cinnamon – a great option if you don’t tend to keep a full stocked spice rack. They will be a cross between a sugar cookie and a snickerdoodle!
- Pumpkin pie spice – a fantastic swap for the chai spice, keeping those delicious warm and cosy flavours in the cookie.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Start by creaming together the dairy free butter and white sugar in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer. You can also use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and beat well until combined.
Step 2: To the bowl, add the plain flour, chai spice mix, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and sea salt and beat well until a dough forms. It will be crumbly but will easily hold together when pressed.
Step 3: Use a rubber spatula to press the dough together if you like, before scooping out tablespoon sized balls of dough and rolling them between your hands.
Step 4: Roll each ball in white sugar that’s been mixed with extra chai spice until coated and then place on a large baking sheet ensuring they are well spaced apart to allow for any spreading.
Step 5: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. The edges should be JUST starting to brown and the middles should be puffed up and still look slightly underbaked. Bang the tray carefully on the stove top or kitchen counter a few times to deflate the cookies (this helps achieve the crackle top).
Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the tray as this will let them finish baking and firm up. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
👉Tip! For perfect looking cookies, as soon as the cookies have been removed from the oven, use a spoon or a large round cookie cutter that fits over the cookie, to gently shape the cookie back into a circle. This only works if the cookies are still soft so needs to be done immediately before they start to cool.
Storage Instructions: These cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool dry place for around 4-5 days.
Recipe FAQs
If you don’t have chai spice or the ingredients to make it, you can simply just use ground cinnamon as a replacement. The flavour will be slightly different but they will still be really delicious. You can also use pumpkin pie spice if you have it!
Yes, you can freeze the cookies either baked or unbaked.
For unbaked, scoop the dough into balls, roll them in sugar, and place them on a baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to bake, you can bake them directly from the freezer; just add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
For baked, store the cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to a month. Allow to defrost at room temperature.
Yes! You can refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours before baking. If chilling, let the dough come to room temperature before rolling into balls otherwise your cookies won’t spread in the oven properly.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More easy dairy free cookies:
Dairy Free Lemon Sugar Cookies
Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
Melting Moments
Jam Drops (Thumbprint Cookies)
Chai Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (125 grams) dairy free butter
- 1 cup white sugar/granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups plain flour/all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon chai spice mix
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
For rolling;
- ¼-½ cup white sugar/granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon chai spice mix
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line two large baking trays with baking paper.
- In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) add the dairy free butter and sugar and beat well with an electric mixer. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and beat well to combine.
- To the bowl, add the plain flour, chai spice mix, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and sea salt and beat well until a dough forms.
- Scoop tablespoon sized balls of dough and roll into balls. Mix together the extra sugar and chai spice mix and roll each ball in the mixture until coated. Place the balls of dough onto the prepared baking tray ensuring there is enough space to allow them to spread.
- Bake the cookies in the oven for 10-12 minutes. Take the cookies out of the oven and bang the tray on the counter a couple of times to deflate the cookies. Allow them to cool on the rack for a few minutes to firm up before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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