Description

Dirty Vanilla Chai Latte Cookies are soft, chewy treats infused with warm chai spices, espresso, and a hint of vanilla, topped with a delicate vanilla chai glaze. Perfect for cozy afternoons with a cup of tea or coffee, these cookies combine the best of spicy chai flavors with a subtle coffee kick.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cookies:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp instant espresso powder
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
¼ cup strongly brewed chai tea, cooled

For the Vanilla Chai Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp chai tea (or milk)

Instructions

Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and espresso powder. Set aside.
Cream the Butter and Sugars: In another bowl, beat softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Then, slowly pour in the cooled chai tea and mix until smooth.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined to avoid overmixing.
Scoop & Bake: Scoop dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden.
Cool the Cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and chai tea (or milk) until smooth and pourable.
Drizzle & Enjoy: Drizzle glaze over the cooled cookies, let it set slightly, then serve and enjoy.

Notes

Steep the chai tea strongly for at least 5 minutes to enhance flavor.
Use room temperature ingredients (butter, eggs, chai tea) for smoother dough.
Do not overmix the dough to keep the cookies soft and chewy.
For best texture and flavor, chill dough for 30 minutes before baking if time allows.
Drizzle glaze while cookies are warm to let it melt slightly into the cookie.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freeze dough for up to 3 months; bake straight from frozen or thaw slightly first.
Substitute plant-based butter and non-dairy milk to make the recipe dairy-free.
No espresso powder? Use finely ground instant coffee as a substitute.
Add extra spices or a pinch of black pepper for enhanced chai warmth.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Vanilla chai latte cookies, chai spice cookies, espresso cookies, soft chewy cookies, chai glaze, spiced cookies, coffee cookies