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Infused with chai spices and topped with brown sugar-caramel drizzle and pecans, these chai spice shortbread cookies are fall perfection. Recipe makes 24 cookies.
The chai-flavored shortbread dough is rolled out and punched into rounds. Baked until golden and set, each cookie is buttery and tender with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Finished off with a drizzle of brown sugar topping and toasted pecans, these cookies are fabulous with a mug of chai or a latte.
Love shortbread cookies? You may also like my slice and bake lemon shortbread cookies or chocolate chip shortbread cookies!
More cozy chai recipes to try:
- Vanilla Chai Sugar Cookie Bars
- Chai Spice Scones
- Chai Spice Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Chai Sandwich Cookies
Chai Spice Shortbread Cookies
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 14 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Infused with chai spices and topped with brown sugar-caramel drizzle and pecans, these chai spice shortbread cookies are fall perfection. Recipe makes 24 cookies.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar (for sprinkling)
Topping
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- chopped pecans
Instructions
- Beat butter, sugar, and spices in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until combined; add vanilla and salt and beat until incorporated. Scrape down bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour just until incorporated and dough begins to come together in large pieces. Scrape dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape into a disk and wrap well. Chill dough in the refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured board. Use a floured 2-inch fluted biscuit cutter to cut out cookies. Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut until you have a total of 24 cookies. Place cookies on baking sheets, sprinkle with sugar, and chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Bake, rotating pans halfway through, for 14 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden and edges are set. Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the topping, combine brown sugar, butter, cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. Let stand for 10 minutes, then transfer to a small piping bag and drizzle over cookies. Sprinkle with chopped pecans and let topping set before serving.
Notes
Make ahead: Baked and cooled shortbread cookies can be wrapped well and frozen up to 2 months. To thaw cookies, place on wire racks and let stand at room temperature for one hour before adding topping.
