Chai Snickerdoodles

Warm and cozy homemade chai spice blend and soft and chewy snickerdoodles are a match made in heaven. This simple recipe makes the perfect cookies with crispy edges and pillowy centers.

I’ve been a little quiet on the blog for the past few weeks, but not to worry—I’ve still been cranking out recipes and sharing them with you like a mad woman. In case you missed it, at the beginning of the month, I launched Pastry School 101—a weekly newsletter teaching you creative baking recipes and foundational pastry skills. Each month we will deep dive into technique or ingredient and I’ll break down the science behind the process, give step by step instructions, and lots of tips and tricks for pastry mastery. There will also be two bonus recipes each month that incorporate the featured monthly skill/ingredient and there are places within the publication for where readers can comment/ask questions/chat about each recipe or post. This month, we took a little at whipping eggs (both whites and yolks) made olive oil chocolate mousse, and classic tiramisu, and had a blast. If you aren’t already in our little community, I’d love for you to join us!

But now I’m back and I’ve got cookies for you!

This holiday season, my sister was looking for a winning recipe to bring to her annual Christmas Cookie Party. We were chatting about what kind of cookie she could make and the idea of a spiced chai cookie came to mind. I didn’t have time to test a whole new recipe and get it to her before the party, so I told her to make the chai spice blend from my dirty chai banana bread recipe and make my hawaij snickerdoodles subbing the chai spice in place of the hawaij. My sister reported back that they were winners.

We decided to make another batch together over our Christmas holiday they really were perfect. 100%. No notes. So now I’m sharing them with you.

homemade chai spice blend

Making a batch of chai spice blend is as simple as stirring together a few spices and keeping it in a jar in your spice cabinet. We’re incorporating ground black tea (from tea bags), a hefty amount of cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger, and lots of supporting characters like cloves and black pepper. This recipe will make more than you need for the cookies so make a batch of banana bread of keep it in pantry for stirring into coffee.

soft and chewy snickerdoodles

I had a reader once tell me that molasses is never used in snickerdoodle recipes, but I love it and I don’t care what anyone thinks. I love love love using molasses in my spiced snickerdoodle recipes for two main reasons:

1. Molasses is made by boiling, reducing, and concentrating the juice extracted from sugar cane. We know that cooking sugar creates caramelization so when molasses is incorporated into recipes it not only adds sweetness, but a deep caramelized flavor perfect for pairing with warm spices.

2. Molasses is a type of invert syrup, a scientific balance of fructose and glucose, that in baking, adds sweetness and liquid at the same time. Adding an invert syrup like molasses to a recipe will greatly increase moisture, creating a softer, chewier cookie and extending shelf life.

Otherwise, this recipe is very straight forward. Melted browned butter is mixed with sugars, followed by eggs, vanilla, and molasses, and then dry ingredients are folded in. The batter does need a short chill time (about 30 minutes) in order to hold its shape during baking, and then, like any good snickerdoodle, we roll it in sugar.

One last recipe tip: I’ve made this recipe using a stand mixer, a hand mixer, and just a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. I’ve found that though it may take a little more elbow greaser, the wooden spoon/spatula mixing method yielded the thickest, softest cookie.

Yield 30-32 cookies

Author Anna Ramiz

Prep time

15 Min

Cook time

8 Min

Inactive time

30 Min

Total time

53 Min

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Chai Snickerdoodles

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Warm and cozy homemade chai spice blend and soft and chewy snickerdoodles are a match made in heaven. This simple recipe makes the perfect cookies with crispy edges and pillowy centers.

IngredientsUSMetric

for the chai spice blend

• 3 bags ground black tea
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground all spice
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

for the cookie dough

• 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp chai spice, above
• 1/2 c up (113 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (56 g) brown sugar
• 1/3 cup (43 g) coconut oil, melted
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

for the rolling sugar

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp demerara sugar
• 1 tsp chai spice, above

Instructions

1. To make the chai spice blend: combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth and well-combined. Transfer to an air tight container to store.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and chai spice.
3. Place butter in a small saucepan and set it over medium heat. Cook for 6-7 minutes, swirling occasionally until butter is nutty and fragrant with little brown flecks on the bottom. Transfer it to another large bowl and let cool slightly.
4. Add the sugar and brown sugar to the bowl with the butter and whisk until wet and sandy. Stream in the coconut oil, followed by the egg, molasses, and vanilla. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until all of the flour is mixed in and no dry streaks remain. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
6. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375° F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Stir together sugar, demerara sugar, and chai spice in a small bowl.
8. Using a two tsp sized cookie scoop, scoop dough into balls. Roll each ball in the chai sugar and place 1-2” apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes, just until the edges are lightly golden and the tops of the cookies are dry. Let cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes

The chai spice blend will yield more than is needed for this recipe. Keep the rest in a sealed jar in your pantry and use it to make Dirty Chai Banana Bread or stir into coffee.

Similar Recipes

Dirty Chai Banana Bread

Citrus, Earl Grey, and Caramelized White Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Hawaij Snickerdoodles

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Grapefruit and Thyme Olive Oil Cake

This easy olive oil cake recipe features bright, citrusy grapefruit and fragrant thyme to give an elevated twist on a classic recipe.

I know that everyone and their mothers have said it, but 2020 has been quite a year. Between an election and a pandemic, things have felt wild and out of control most of the time this year and normal life just isn’t so normal anymore. Martin and I were chatting and reflecting the other night and it feels weird because this year has been so unexpectedly challenging for so many people, but for us, in our little bubble, it’s actually been a pretty good year. We’ve both been in fairly challenging work situations, but ones that have pushed us to really grow. We adopted sweet little Tahini this year, who has become the little furry joy of our lives. And somehow, we were able to continue saving money, scraping together enough to buy our first home. All of this sweetness doesn’t negate the exhaustion, though, so we took a little getaway. I’m writing today’s blog post from the very, very cozy bed of a little AirBnB on the beach and it’s just a dream. We’re sleeping in, and lounging by the pool, and drinking wine and it’s the most relaxed I’ve felt in a good, long, while.

So in the spirit of relaxation, let’s continue to chat about one of my very favorite topics: cake. I think that a good olive oil cake is a non-negotiable for any self-respecting home baker. They are quick and easy to throw together, endlessly adaptable, and just so moist and delicious that they rarely need extras like frosting or glaze. This one is thick, flavored with grapefruit and thyme and holds well for a couple of a days. A little note to remember about olive oil cakes—because they have a pretty high liquid content, they take a good long time to bake. If your cake is starting to brown too much while the middle is still jiggly, just tent it with a piece of aluminum foil. Also, I baked this in a deep 9” springform pan and any smaller cake pan will probably result in a very messy cake/oven situation. If you are baking this in a smaller cake pan, I’d half the recipe, or bake it in a rectangular 9x13” pan.

And just so I don’t forget, happy day 3 of 12 Days of Christmas Desserts!

Yield: makes one 9" springform pan

Author: Anna Ramiz

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Grapefruit and Thyme Olive Oil Cake

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 50 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

• 2 cups (260 g) all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cup (270 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• zest from two medium grapefruits
• 1/2 cup (115 g) grapefruit juice
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 cup (225 g) olive oil
• 1 cup (243 g) buttermilk, at room temperature
• 3 eggs, at room temperature

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9” springform pan with olive oil and line with parchment paper, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, fresh thyme, and grapefruit zest. Use your fingers to rub the zest and the thyme into the sugar until well-mixed. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the sugar mixture and whisk everything to combine.
3. In another medium-sized bowl or large glass measuring cup, whisk together olive oil, buttermilk, grapefruit juice, and eggs until smooth and homogenous.
4. Slowly pour wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and whisk until the batter is smooth and no clumps of flour remain.
5. Pour batter into your prepared springform pan and smooth into an even layer using a knife or offset spatula. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the cake is dark golden brown in color, the sides are beginning to pull away from the pan, and the center is set and no longer wiggly. (If the top is getting too brown, but the center is not yet set, you can loosely place a piece of foil over the top to slow down the browning.)
6. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before inverting onto a plate and serving.

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Blood Orange and Rosemary Snack Cake

January in Florida is simply the best. Yes, Florida has it’s drawbacks. We have to suffer through 100% humidity and 90°F weather most of the year. We have to deal with hurricanes. We don’t get anything that remotely resembles “fall”. We spend an inordinate amount of time unsticking our thighs from leather seats. But when late winter rolls around, there is no where else I would rather be. The months of January and February are just perfect. While the rest of the country is hunkered down against snow and biting winds, we are sipping our iced beverages on a patio in a perfectly mild, always sunny 75°F. But the real highlight is that Florida citrus. Farmers market stands and grocery stores shelves are lined with citrus of every shape and size and if you drive through an orange grove with your windows down, wafts of that bright, freshly peeled aroma chase you down the highway. It’s a wonderful time to be in the Sunshine State.

[Side note: I wrote this first paragraph a little over a week ago in an effort to be proactive and work ahead a bit. Since I’ve written this, our perfect Florida temperatures dropped into the 30s and frozen iguanas began to fall from the sky. Such is life in Florida. At least our citrus is still really great.]

The fruit bowl on my counter is overflowing with satsumas, grapefruits, and Florida honeybelles, but my absolute favorite is the blood orange. Their deep, vibrant reds are startling when you first slice into them, staining your hands a luscious fuchsia color. They also impart a sharp citrus flavor, without overwhelming your taste buds with tartness and making your lips pucker. Each year, at the first sight of blood oranges, my mind starts racing at all of the possibilities and bag after bag come home for recipe development. This year’s blood orange haul made it into this simple and unassuming snack cake. I love a good snack cake. There is no worry about layering or filling, you don’t have to deal with an enormous birthday cake sized monstrosity taking up space in your fridge, and the cake to frosting ratio is always spot on. This snack cake uses semolina flour for added texture, and subs out some of the sugar for honey, complementing the citrus and rosemary nicely and dialing down the sweetness a bit so you can get away with eating a slice in the morning and calling it breakfast. You’re welcome.

I’ve used blood oranges because they are my favorite, but feel free to substitute another citrus if that is what is fresh where you live. Grapefruit or navel oranges would work really in this cake as well.

Blood Orange and Rosemary Snack Cake with Cream Cheese Whipped Cream

Yield: 1 9” round cake

Ingredients:

For the cake

2 cups (265 g) cake flour 

1 cup (160 g) semolina flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder 

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Zest of 3 blood oranges 

1 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (from about 2 sprigs)

1 cup (225 g) granulated sugar 

1/2 cup (160 g) honey

11 T (160 g) butter, at room temperature 

3 eggs, at room temperature 

1/4 cup blood orange juice (from about 3 blood oranges)

3/4 cup (165 g) plain whole milk yogurt

1 tsp vanilla extract 

for the syrup soak: 

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup water

1 sprig fresh rosemary 

3 blood orange halves 

for the cream cheese whipped cream: 

2 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

pinch of salt

splash of vanilla extract

Procedure:

to make the cake: 

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9” springform pan and line the bottom with a parchment paper round. Set aside. 

2. In a medium bowl, combine cake flour, semolina flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, sugar, and honey. Cream together until thoroughly combined and mixture has the consistency of wet sand. Add orange zest, rosemary, and vanilla and beat for another 20-30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

4. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again. 

5. Meanwhile, juice the oranges into a glass measuring cup. Add yogurt to orange juice mixture and whisk to combine. (Place 3 halves of your zested, juiced oranges in a small saucepan for your syrup.)

6. With the mixture on low speed, add one-third of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Then add half of the yogurt/orange juice mixture, followed by another third of the dry ingredients. Continue to mix on low speed, adding the remaining yogurt mixture and ending with the last third of the dry ingredients. Mix for another 30 seconds or so, until no flour streaks remain. 

7. Remove from mixture and use a rubber spatula to fold the batter a few times to ensure that everything is well mixed and then transfer to your prepared pan. 

8. Bake for 35-45 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Remove from oven and let cake cool in the pan for at least 30-45 minutes. 

to make the syrup: 

1. While the cake is baking, combine sugar, water, orange peels, and rosemary in a small saucepan. 

2. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer about 10 minutes. 

3. Remove from heat and let mixture cool before straining out orange peels and rosemary spring. 

4. Brush syrup over the top of the cake immediately after removing the cake from the oven. 

*Note: You will not use all of the syrup. I like to brush it once or twice, let the syrup absorb and then brush once or twice more. I was left with about 1/4 cup of syrup which conveniently makes a great cocktail base when mixed with sparkling water and gin. Cheers!

to make the cream cheese whipped cream: 

1. Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on medium-speed for 30 seconds or so, until cream cheese is soft and broken up. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

2. Add heavy cream to the cream cheese and continue to mix on medium-low speed until the mixture begins to thicken slightly. (Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl regularly to ensure that all the cream cheese gets combined and isn’t clumpy. If you notice small clumps of cream cheese before the cream begins to thicken, you can transfer to the paddle attachment and beat on high speed for a minute to help break up the cream cheese. Then switch back to the whisk to continue whipping.)

3. When the cream begins to thicken slightly, add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and increase mixer speed to medium-high. Whip until soft peaks form.