Chai Spice Shortbread with Vanilla Cinnamon Glaze
Brace yourselves; sweater weather is coming.
I’ve always loved the changing of the seasons, even if that change is incremental out here in California. The combination of cooler temperatures and shorter days has me seeking out warmth and coziness. If you’re like me and looking forward to wrapping yourself up in everything autumnal, look no further than these Chai Spice Shortbread with Vanilla Cinnamon Glaze.
And holy harvest season, these cookies are outrageously good. I’m a sucker for homemade shortbread, and believe that when done right, this simple cookie can stand on its own. This recipe lets the soft, buttery flavor of the shortbread shine without overpowering it with spices, and the result is mouth-watering. If you’re a fan of chai lattes, you’ll love the touch of sweetness lent by a drizzle of vanilla cinnamon glaze.
Traditional shortbread is wonderfully simple to make, and this recipe is no exception. I even skipped making my own chai spice blend in favor of using one of my favorite chai teabags (I’m a big fan of the chai blend from Trader Joe’s). Just snip the corner of the teabag and mix the contents in with your dry ingredients.
Looking for that picture-perfect drizzle? No fancy tools required – just pour your glaze into a plastic sandwich baggie and snip a very small piece off the corner of the bag. The glaze will pour quickly, so make sure you’re holding the corner upright! Lay your cookies out on a sheet of wax paper, then slowly swing the baggie of glaze back and forth over the tops, like a pendulum on a clock.
Or elect to leave them unglazed; they’re truly delicious either way.
In the event you don’t finish all of these chai spice shortbread cookies in one sitting (lol), shortbread will keep in an airtight container for about 4 weeks. Shortbread’s long shelf life makes these perfect for sharing with friends and family; I originally made these to send to a sweet friend back in Kaua’i, but they were so good, I had to whip up another batch for us here!
PrintChai Spice Shortbread with Vanilla Cinnamon Glaze
This recipe lets the soft, buttery flavor of the shortbread shine without overpowering it with spices, and the result is mouth-watering. If you’re a fan of chai lattes, you’ll love the touch of sweetness lent by a drizzle of vanilla cinnamon glaze.
- Prep Time: 35 min.
- Cook Time: 12 min.
- Total Time: 47 minutes
- Yield: 30 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the shortbread:
- 2 cups flour (or almond flour)
- 3 chai teabags (approx. 3 Tbsp)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (or ghee)
For the vanilla cinnamon glaze (optional):
- 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, sift flour and salt. Whisk in contents from 3 teabags of chai (approx. 3 Tbsp)
- Cream butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Add in dry ingredients and continue to mix until a soft dough forms. The mix will be dry and crumbly at first but will come together.
- Remove the dough from the mixer and roll into a log (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter). Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350° F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Evenly slice the dough into ~30 cookies and bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
- Cool completely on a baking tray before transferring to a wire rack. Let cool completely before drizzling glaze.
- Whisk together glaze ingredients until smooth.
- Lay cookies on a sheet of wax paper. Pour glaze into a plastic sandwich baggie and snip the tip off of one corner. Drizzle glaze across the tops of cookies.
Notes
Shortbread will keep for up to 4 weeks in an air-tight container.
Keywords: chai, chai spice, shortbread, cinnamon, vanilla
