Chai Almond Cookies

It’s a challenge to pick cookies after the new year. Many folks have had so many sweets during the holidays that they don’t want so many sweets. This was not the week to choose a super decadent treat. I always like a good spiced cookie, and this recipe was featured in a recent King Arthur Flour baking catalog. I usually look through the catalog once and then recycle it, but I tore out this recipe since I knew I would be making it.

This recipe calls for chai spice, which King Arthur Flour sells, but I didn’t use that. I looked at the ingredients in the chai mix and I had most of them on hand. I ended up using Chinese five spice, which contains cinnamon, anise seed, star anise, ginger and cloves. I added some pepper and additional ginger. I could have added cardamom, but I don’t really care for it so I left it out. Any combination of these types of spices would work for this recipe.

These cookies are easy to make, and bake up perfectly! They bake for a longer time that you would expect, I imagine that is due to the almond flour which makes for a more robust dough. For the glaze, the original recipe says that it should be the consistency of molasses, so quite thick. These cookies have a nice crispness, and the almond flour adds a good texture. I like the mix of spices I used, it’s just a little different than the typical cinnamon/ginger combo. Don’t be afraid of using pepper, a tiny bit adds so much!

Chai Almond Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature

¾ cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chai spice*

1 cup almond flour

1-1/2 cups flour

1 cup powdered sugar

½ teaspoon chai spice

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-2 tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

In a large mixer bowl, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chai spice. Mix on medium until light. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the almond flour and then the regular flour.

Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, using about 1 tablespoon dough per cookie. Leave about 2 inches between each cookie.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, until set and golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely before glazing.

Make the glaze: in a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, chai spice, butter, vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk. Add additional milk if needed to reach the right consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cookies.

Recipe from King Arthur Flour

*You can purchase this from King Arthur Flour, or make your own by combining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ginger, ¼ teaspoon cardamom, ¼ teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon anise and a pinch of black pepper.