Taylor Swift’s Strawberry Chai Sugar Cookie RecipeJoy the Baker

We’ve made MANY A COOKIE here on Joy the Baker over the years and the problem is, each cookie I make is my new pride and joy. But you’re the real decider around here.  Well… you and the search engine god Google.  While my latest Moon Pie Bars (and all their gooey marshmallow) might be my favorite, y’all decided last fall that your favorite are Taylor Swift’s Chai Sugar Cookies. I get it – you love a classic, scoopable sugar cookie recipe loaded with cozy chai spice and dotted with nutmeg glaze.  And probably more than the cookie, you love our girl Taylor and again… I get it.

A few weeks back I was at my favorite fancy cocktail bar here in New Orleans and ordered a Strawberry Chai Negroni.  I narrowed my eyes in suspicion but was totally blown away by the playful combination of strawberry and chai.  I thought surely I can bring this cheeky flavor combination to your favorite cookie.  Today let’s bring a spring twist to Taylor Swift’s sweet little chai buddies with strawberries and white chocolate! They’re a dang delight.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make this Strawberry White Chocolate Chai Sugar Cookie recipe:

•  unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

•  neutral oil like sunflower, canola, or vegetable oil

•  granulated sugar and powdered sugar

•  salt and baking soda

•  vanilla extract

•  a large egg

•  chai spices: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and a grind of cracked black pepper

•  dehydrated strawberries, crushed and crumbled

•  white chocolate coarsely chopped

•  cinnamon and sugar for rolling

We’ll start this jazzed-up chewy sugar cookie recipe by creaming together the butter, oil, granulated and powdered sugar.  A little wonky, I know but the mixture will cream together to smooth after 2 to 3 minutes with electric hand beaters or in a stand mixer.

You might wonder, WHY OIL!?  Oil will help with the texture of the cookie. Because oil is 100% fat, it creates a hint of a cake-like crumb to the texture of the cookie.

You might also wonder, WHY POWDERED SUGAR!? Powdered sugar absorbs more moisture than granulated sugar and will create a chewy texture in our sugar cookies.

And the biggest question:

Can you use a chai tea bag instead of all of these spices?

Not really.  Chai tea bags are made of black tea and spices.  A chai tea bag is, in fact, mostly black tea.  For this spiced sugar cookie recipe we want all of the warming spices but not the black tea.  Black tea gets bitter in the cookie dough.

I understand that you might not have a spice rack full of spices so this Chai Masala blend is a great substitute. Use 2 teaspoons in place of all of the spices below.

In a pinch you could use Pumpkin Pie Spice that might be leftover from Thanksgiving. Use 1 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice with a grind of cracked black pepper and an additional 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger if you have it on hand.

Beat in a large egg and a few teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.

Stir flour, baking soda, and salt into a thick batter. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl very well, making sure there are no dry patches of the flour mixture hidden at the bottom of the bowl.

Because we are our most extra selves, add coarsely chopped white chocolate and finely chopped dehydrated strawberries!

Dehydrated strawberries are preferred over fresh strawberry bits.  Dehydrated strawberries pack lots of strawberry flavor without making for soggy cookies.  White chocolate is a sweet and creamy compliment.  Add finely chopped chocolate or white chocolate chips.

Allow the cookie dough to rest and chill. You can leave the cookie dough in the bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator, OR you can scoop the cookie dough onto a large piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap and shape into a disk to chill.

Scoop generous 2 tablespoon balls, roll between your hands to round and coat in cinnamon sugar.  Place cookie dough balls 2-inches apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Bake cookies until they’ve spread just slightly and are just golden around the edges.  Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet until set enough to transfer with a spatula, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.

The original Taylor Swift Chai Cookies are topped with a nutmeg glaze. No need to fuss with glaze here.  We’ve added all the goodness of spice, strawberries, and chocolate to the inside of the cookie.

This is my perfect sugar cookie recipe. A cookie that sits up tall and tender.  No rolling pin no frosting, no royal icing.  Just sugar and spice, strawberries are nice.

Print

Taylor Swift’s Strawberry White Chocolate Chai Sugar Cookies

A spring-inspired spice cookie with strawberries and white chocolate.

• Author: Joy the Baker
• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 mintues
• Total Time: 1 hour 42 minutes
• Yield: about 20 cookies 1x
• Category: cookies, dessert

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (I like canola or sunflower oil)
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• Pinch of fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean pod
• 2 1/2 cups (312 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup freeze dried strawberries, crushed or finely chopped
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
• Cinnamon sugar for rolling

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter in a large bowl on medium speed for about 1 minute.  Add the vegetable oil.  It may not fully incorporate with the butter, but that’s ok.  Add the granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and all of the spices. Beat to combine.
3. Add the egg and vanilla, beating on medium speed until completely incorporated.
4. Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt all at once using a wooden spoon or the mixer set on low. Stir in the strawberry pieces and white chocolate chunks or chips.
5. The dough will be soft. Refrigerate the dough for at least1 hour or freeze for at least 20 minutes just so it’s easier to handle.
6. For large cookies, dollop 2 Tablespoons of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  For smaller cookies use 1 Tablespoon for each cookie.  Press the dough evenly with your fingers or palm to 1/4-inch thickness.  Roll each cookie dough in a small bowl of cinnamon sugar.
7. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes for larger cookies or 8 to 10 minutes for smaller cookies.  Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to racks to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Notes

•  These cookies work super well with a gluten-free flour blend like Cup4Cup.
• If you don’t want to buy all of the chai spice you could by a Chai Masala blend at the spice store or on Amazon online (linked above in the post).