Enjoy the pumpkin spiced flavors of fall with these big, soft sugar cookies. These chai flavored cut-outs are perfect for decorating with simple royal icing.
Pumpkin spiced lattes are great and all, but these cookies take it over the top with their soft, chai-spiced goodness! Your morning coffee just got better. Cozy up and savor the little moments this holiday season. I know I will!
You’d be so sweet to share your tasty creations with friends and family. Who doesn’t love a cookie?!
Grab your pumpkin pie spices, your favorite chai tea mix (mine is Blue Lotus at the moment on amazon), read through the tips and tricks below and get busy whipping up a batch of these amazingly soft sugar cookies!
If you are involving the little ones in cookie decorating, see my tips and tricks below.
Spiced sugar cookie ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground chai tea mix
- 1/4 tsp nut meg
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1-3 tbsp milk or water
Spiced sugar cookie directions
- Cream butter and sugar.
- Mix in egg, vanilla and spices.
- Sprinkle in baking powder and add flour one cup at a time.
- Mix until all flour is incorporated scraping bowl with spatula as needed.
- Roll dough out on a clean, floured surface a few handfuls at a time. ⅓ to ½ of an inch thick is ideal.
- Cut out shapes and transfer to an un-greased cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Large thick cookies may take up to 11 minutes.
- Cool on baking sheet then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before decorating.
Thick or thin sugar cookies? How thick should they be?
The thickness of a sugar cookie depends on the type of icing you’ll be adding, if any at all. Big, rich frostings and thicker icing go best on thicker cookies to keep the frosting/cookie ratio balanced. If you like a crisper cookie, thinner dough and carefully timed baking will do the trick.
I prefer my cookies to be closer to 1/2 inch thick. My cookie cutters are 3-4″. I bake them about 10 minutes and am sure to remove them before they brown. They really don’t look done but they set just fine once they cool.
Why use whole wheat flour in sugar cookies?
Using a portion of whole wheat flour in these simple sugar cookies not only adds a depth of flavor but also, in my opinion, gives us a softer cookie. Plus, It basically turns your cookie into a health food, right? Ha! Maybe not but it does add more protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Quick and easy royal icing recipe
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoon meringue powder (found at Walmart, amazon or hobby stores)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon each of cinnamon and chai powder
- dash of nutmeg
- food coloring (optional)
- 4 tablespoons of water (more as needed)
In a clean mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, mix all ingredients on low. Once the sugar is incorporated beat the icing on high for several minutes. Starting on low keeps you from sending a cloud of powdered sugar into your face.
You are looking for an Elmer’s school glue consistency, perhaps a touch thinner. Add more sugar or water as needed to adjust.
Go ahead and taste your icing and add more spices if you feel the need.
It is important to include any flavorings and liquid colorings before adjusting the final consistency! I’d hate for you to add a liquid and throw off your beautiful icing!
To make cookies without icing I suggest…
If you’re going for strictly cookie I suggest adding more vanilla to amp up the flavor. I typically rely on the icing to add another layer of flavor although it isn’t always necessary.
If you want to add a bit of pizazz without all the sugar on top, try folding some sprinkles into the dough before baking. Sprinkles make everything fun.
Decorating cookies with kids?
Decorating cookies with kids can be a load of fun. Here are a few tips to keep the mess to a minimum-
Place cookies on a rimmed cookie sheet to catch all the extra sprinkles.
The youngest of kids can use the icing as finger paints. Oh, delicious finger paints.
For younger kids try dipping the cookies in a royal icing to give them a blank canvas. Sprinkles will stick like a charm!
To dip your sugar cookie simply pour a puddle of icing onto a small shallow saucer. Using your fingers on the edge of the cookie, lay the cookie flat and dip the face of it into the icing. Removing it by lifting it straight up may put too much strain and break your cookie. Instead, slide the cookie to the side and wipe the drip on the rim of the dish.
I’d show a picture of a dipped cookie but I’m afraid they were the first to be eaten! I’ll have to update this post at a later time.
The filled-in cookies in the photo below were frosted with a butter knife. I liked how the ridges added detail.
Pumpkin Chai Spiced Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground chai tea mix
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
- 1-3 tbsp milk or water If needed to soften the dough
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar.
- Mix in egg, vanilla and spices.
- Sprinkle in baking powder and add flour one cup at a time.
- Mix until all flour is incorporated scraping bowl with spatula as necessary.
- Roll dough out on a clean, floured surface a few handfuls at a time. ⅓ to ½ of an inch thick is ideal.
- Cut out shapes and transfer to an un-greased cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Large thick cookies may take up to 11 minutes.
- Cool on baking sheet then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before decorating.
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Did you make these pumpkin chai spiced sugar cookies? I wanna see! Tag @lubba.food.garden on Instagram. Use the hashtag #ILubbaFood If you Love food as much as I do. XO Myra
