Amrita Rawat with the classic American cookie, infused with just a little bit of India.
Text And Photo By Amrita Rawat
A Snickerdoodle is a classic American sugar cookie that is rolled in cinnamon and sugar. Although the original is delicious and can stand on its own, I experimented with incorporating chai spices into the batter and this resulted in a fabulous Chai snickerdoodle cookie that has become quite popular among my friends and family. Cinnamon is still the star of the show, but cloves, ginger, cardamom, and nutmeg all serve as back-up dancers… not necessary but a jazzy addition, none the less. 
I’ve made these cookies countless times now. Twice, I had to make do with lost ingredients, and once I had to deal with an overzealous oven, and they still turned out wonderful. These are catered more for adults than kids. My four-year-old niece did not appreciate these cookies as much as my friends and family did. And I can’t exactly blame her, with all the masala chai spices in it and lack of chocolate chips.
Since the balls of dough are rolled in chai spices and sugar before baking, it’s sometimes difficult to tell when they’re done baking. However, I’m a fan of chewy not crispy cookies so I’d rather undercook them slightly and have them still be soft. If you prefer crispy, bake for a couple minutes longer than the baking time listed.
PrintChai Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 18 cookies 1x
Description
These Chai Snickerdoodle Cookies are a delightful twist on the classic, infused with aromatic chai spices for a warm and spicy flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (288g) sugar
- 4 oz (113g) butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (54g) canola oil
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 3/4 cups (273g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (6g) cream of tartar
- 1 tsp (4g) baking soda
- 1/4 tsp (1g) salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup sugar (for rolling)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream the sugar and butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
- Add the canola oil and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to form a dough.
- In a small bowl, combine the rolling sugar and cinnamon.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until well coated.
- Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers are still soft. For crispier cookies, bake an additional 2 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For softer cookies, bake for the minimum time suggested. If you prefer a crispier texture, extend the baking time by a couple of minutes. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. These cookies are more suited for adults due to the chai spices.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 85
- Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 20
Enjoy and happy baking!
I cannot find an iven temperature to bake these snickerdoodes.
Please advise me.
Makes you wonder what Stonehenge would have looked like had they had Amrita’s snickerdoodle cookies as a model.