Chai-Spiced Snickerdoodle Cookies with Cardamom Sugar
Chai-Spiced Snickerdoodle Cookies with Cardamom Sugar
The classic cinnamon-sugar cookie gets a warm chai makeover. Ginger, cardamom, nutmeg and clove are baked right into the dough, then each cookie is rolled in a fragrant cardamom-cinnamon sugar before baking.
What You'll Need
A simple butter cookie dough gets layered with four warming spices, then finished with a fragrant sugar coating.
The Chai Spice Dough
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp Fine Ground Himalayan Pink Salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Organic Ginger Powder
- 1/2 tsp Organic Cardamom Powder
- 1/4 tsp Organic Nutmeg Powder
- 1/4 tsp ground Organic Whole Cloves, freshly ground
The Cardamom Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp Organic Cassia Cinnamon Powder
- 1 tsp Organic Cardamom Powder
- Extra pinch of nutmeg (optional, for a stronger chai note)
Step by Step
Grind the cloves
Whole cloves lose their punch fast once ground, so grind just what you need right before baking. A small spice grinder or mortar and pestle works well; you're aiming for about 1/4 teaspoon.
Whisk the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, Himalayan pink salt, ginger powder, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and the freshly ground cloves until evenly combined.
Cream butter and sugar
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with 1 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla.
Combine and chill
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until a soft dough forms. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes; this makes the dough much easier to roll.
Mix the coating and shape
Stir together the coating sugar, cinnamon powder and cardamom powder in a shallow bowl. Roll the chilled dough into 1.5-inch balls, then roll each ball thoroughly through the spiced sugar until fully coated.
Bake
Arrange the coated dough balls 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges look set but the centers are still soft and slightly puffed.
Cool and serve
Rest the cookies on the pan for 3 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. As they cool, the centers settle into that classic soft, crackled snickerdoodle texture with a fragrant chai finish.
For extra crackle, slightly underbake the cookies and let them finish setting on the hot pan — the centers should look just barely set when you pull them out.
The Spices Behind the Cookie
Common Questions
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. The dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or shaped into balls and frozen for up to 3 months — just roll frozen balls in the spiced sugar and add a minute or two to the bake time.
Do I need cream of tartar?
Cream of tartar gives snickerdoodles their signature tangy chew and helps the classic crackled top. It's worth keeping in the pantry for this recipe.
Can I use whole cloves instead of grinding them?
Ground cloves distribute much more evenly through the dough than whole ones, so grinding a small amount fresh gives the best flavor and texture.
What if I don't have cardamom powder for the coating?
You can lean on the cinnamon alone for the coating and add a touch more cardamom powder to the dough instead — the cookies will still taste warmly spiced.
How should I store the finished cookies?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They also freeze well, layered between parchment, for up to 2 months.
