Pumpkin Spice Chai Cookies to Usher in the Fall

The winds of Autumn are brushing at our doorstep. Do you know what that means? It's time once again for everyone’s favorite fall drink. That’s right Pumpkin Spice Chai is back! Our classic blend of Assam tea and chai spices, like cinnamon, clove, cardamom, allspice, and natural pumpkin flavor, will have you cozied up in a cable knit sweater, enjoying the smell of Autumn in no time.

The tea is great when enjoyed with milk as a chai latte, or hot by itself. This Autumn and Winter we wanted to give you more to enjoy while you are in hibernation mode. We have experimented with a chai cookie recipe that uses ground up tea in the dough itself. Who would have thought that chai could get better than a comforting drink? Well check out the recipe below!

Pumpkin Spice Chai Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 TBS Pumpkin Spice Chai tea (finely ground, see step 1)
• 1/2 TBS ground cardamom (optional)
• 1/2 TBS ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1/4 TBS salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (If you want a vegan option, substitute 6 tablespoons of coconut oil for the butter. Refined coconut oil is best to avoid any unwanted coconut flavor)
• 1/2 TBS vanilla

Instructions:

1) Grind the chai tea in a spice grinder or using a mortar and pestle. Make sure it's ground as finely as you can get it to avoid any large clumps of tea.

2) Place the flour, sugar, powdered sugar, chai, and salt in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process until the tea is pulverized and distributed throughout the dry ingredients. Pulse in the cardamom and cinnamon, for a more pronounced chai spice flavor to the cookies.

3) Add the butter and vanilla. Pulse just until a rough dough is formed. Scrape the dough onto a piece of wax or parchment paper. Form into an 8 to 9-inch long log. Wrap the paper around the log and roll until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

4) To bake, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Use a sharp knife to slice the chilled or frozen log of dough into 1/3-inch-thick rounds. Place on the baking sheet and bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Enjoy these flavorful fall cookies with a big mug of Pumpkin Spice Chai tea to really top it off! And let us know what you think in the comments below. They were a huge hit around our office!