Chai Tea Crinkle Cookies
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Indian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 24
 
These chai tea crinkle cookies made with milk tea and chai spices make a delightful and unique addition to your Christmas cookie platter. Best enjoyed with a cup of tea!
You will need:
  • Milk - ¼ cup
  • Loose black tea - 2 tsp
  • All-purpose flour - 2 cups
  • Baking powder - 2 tsp
  • Salt - ½ tsp
  • Ground cardamom - 1 tsp
  • Ground cinnamon - ½ tsp
  • Ground ginger - ¼ tsp
  • Unsalted butter - ½ cup, softened
  • Fine granulated sugar - Scant 1 cup + ¼ cup (see Notes)
  • Egg - 1, large
  • Egg yolk - 1, large
  • Rose water - ½ tsp (see Notes)
  • Powdered sugar - ½ cup
How to:
  1. Begin by heating the milk in a small saucepan till it bubbles at the sides. Add tea and let it come to a gentle boil. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 2-3 minutes. Strain the tea and cool to room temperature.
  2. Sift together the flour, baking powder
  3. In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Set aside.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, egg and egg yolk till pale and fluffy, around 2 minutes. Add rose water and tea and mix well.
  5. Tip in the dry ingredients and mix slowly until combined. The dough will come together but be very sticky. At this point, cover the mixing bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least half an hour. This will make handling the dough much easier while forming the cookies.
  6. When ready to bake, pre-heat oven to 350 deg.F. Line a couple of large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  7. Take ¼ cup granulated sugar and the powdered sugar in two separate shallow bowls. Scoop out tablespoonfuls of the dough and roll into neat balls in the palm of your hand. Roll the dough balls first lightly in granulated sugar, and then liberally in powdered sugar. Place on the baking sheet, 2" apart (cookies will spread when baking).
  8. Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes or till edges are lightly golden and center is just set.
  9. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove cookies with a flat spatula on to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy with a warm glass of milk or hot tea. Store leftover cookies in an airtight container.
Notes:
1. You can use a little extra milk while brewing tea so as to end up with exactly ¼ cup after straining.
2. The additional ¼ cup of granulated sugar is used to lightly coat the balls of cookie dough before coating them in the powdered sugar. This helps with getting the crinkly texture, otherwise the powdered sugar will bake off in the oven. Do not shake off any powdered sugar after rolling, the more there is, the better the crinkly effect.
3. I have used rose water in this recipe because it goes so well with the tea and spices. You are free to replace it with an equal amount of pure vanilla extract.
Recipe by At The Corner of Happy And Harried at https://www.happyandharried.com/2017/12/15/chai-tea-crinkle-cookies/