Espresso Chai Cookies with Maple Cinnamon Icing
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These Espresso Chai Cookies with maple cinnamon icing are everything you love about a chai latte, in cookie form. They are dense, thick, beautifully flavored treats infused with warm spices and a spiced glaze with a hint of espresso.
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And, oh my, are they irresistible! If I’m saving them for a teatime treat or want to freeze them for the holidays, I have to keep them out of sight. But in all honesty, I usually have to make another batch!
What to Know About These Chai Cookies
- Easy to make in minutes with no dough chilling needed.
- The cinnamon glaze is like the foamy goodness on your chai latte.
- Every bite tastes like the best of fall and winter.
For kitchen tools, I use two half-sheet-size baking sheets lined with parchment. I use my stand mixer because it’s easy, and it’s important to let the butter come to room temperature. When I’m in a hurry and forget to set the butter out, I microwave it, turning it every few seconds and being careful that it doesn’t melt.
Ingredients for Chai Cookies
Ingredient measurements are in the recipe card below, but here is a quick list of the ingredients you will need to make these irresistible cookies:
- Butter: I prefer salted butter in these cookies, but unsalted butter will work too.
- Brown sugar: Both light and dark brown sugar work.
- Espresso Powder: Instant coffee powder is a great alternative. If you’re not fond of espresso, this ingredient is purely optional.
- All-purpose flour: Or all-purpose gluten-free flour works too.
- Baking soda for a pillowy rise
- Vanilla extract for the perfect flavor enhancer
- Egg for stability
- Chai Spices and seasoning: Ground cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and black pepper
- Granulated sugar for rolling
For the maple cinnamon glaze, inspired by my popular Apple Cinnamon Scones recipe, you will need melted butter, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, cloves, a pinch of salt, and powdered sugar.
How to Make these Chai Cookies
As mentioned earlier, there is zero need to chill the cookie dough, making it a quick fix and easy, easy, easy. Here’s how to make them:
Begin by preheating the oven to 350° F and lining 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 1: Make the cookie dough
Cream the butter, brown sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Mix in the egg until combined. Then mix in the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper until combined.
Step 2: Roll in sugar
Place sugar in a bowl. Roll the dough into 1-tablespoon balls. Then, dredge in the sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Step 3: Bake the cookies
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies begin to set around the edges. The center of the cookies should be softer. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan.
Making the Icing
Begin by melting the butter. Then whisk in the maple syrup, cinnamon, cloves, and a pinch of espresso powder until smooth. Finally, whisk in the powdered sugar. To reach your desired consistency, add water and or more powdered sugar. I like it on the thicker side.
When I’m glazing the cookies, I use the same whisk to drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies.
Storing the Cookies
The chai cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze for longer storage (like the holidays!).
More Cookie Recipes to Try
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Espresso Chai Cookies with Cinnamon Glaze Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons salted butter 3/4 cup, or 1½ sticks, at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar light or dark
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder or instant coffee powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour plus 1-2 tablespoons, as needed all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- pinch black pepper
- granulated sugar for rolling
Cinnamon Glaze
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter melted
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch ground cloves
- pinch espresso powder
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter, brown sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Mix in the egg until combined. Then mix in the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper until combined.
- Place sugar in a bowl. Roll the dough into 1-tablespoon balls. Then, dredge in the sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are beginning to set around the edges. The center of the cookies should be softer. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan.
Cinnamon Maple Icing
- Melt the butter and whisk in the maple syrup, cinnamon, cloves, and a pinch of espresso powder until smooth. Whisk in the powdered sugar. Add water and or more powdered sugar to reach the desired consistency. I use the whisk to drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.