These chai shortbread cookies take classic buttery shortbread and fold in finely ground chai tea, so every crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth bite tastes of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and black tea. They're a slice-and-bake dough made in the food processor, which means you can have a tray of warmly spiced cookies ready for your afternoon cup in well under an hour.
Chai is having a real moment this fall, showing up in lattes, baked goods and just about everything in between, and these cookies are one of the easiest ways to bring it into your kitchen. If you've ever found plain shortbread a little too plain, the tea changes everything: the dough stays rich and tender, but the spices make each cookie fragrant enough that the whole kitchen smells like a cozy café while they bake. They're perfect for dunking, gifting or keeping in a tin for whenever a sweet craving hits.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Loose leaf chai tea. This is the star of the show. Use a good-quality masala chai blend with black tea and whole spices, such as VAHDAM Original Masala Chai. In a pinch, you can cut open about 6 chai tea bags instead, since bagged tea is already finely ground. Rooibos chai works too if you'd like a caffeine-free cookie.
- Butter. Shortbread is all about the butter, so use a good one and make sure it's soft at room temperature so it blends smoothly. Unsalted butter gives you the most control; if you only have salted, cut the added salt to a pinch. For vegan chai shortbread, swap in a firm, block-style vegan butter (not a soft tub spread, which makes the cookies spread and turn greasy).
- Powdered sugar. Also called icing sugar or confectioners' sugar, powdered sugar dissolves instantly into the butter and gives shortbread its signature fine, sandy crumb. Granulated sugar will work, but the texture will be crunchier.
- All-purpose flour. Plain all-purpose flour gives the classic tender result. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend that contains xanthan gum.
- Vanilla extract and salt. A teaspoon of vanilla rounds out the spices, and a little salt keeps the buttery flavor from tasting flat. Don't skip either.
Helpful Tips
Grind the tea with the flour. Pulsing the tea leaves together with the flour in a food processor breaks them down into tiny flecks that spread evenly through the dough. Keep going until you can't see any large pieces of spice. Chai blends often include chunks of cinnamon bark, cardamom pods or peppercorns that won't fully soften in the oven, so if your blend is especially chunky, give it a quick blitz in a spice grinder first or sift out anything that won't break down.
Don't overwork the dough. Once the butter goes in, pulse only until the mixture clumps together into a dough. Processing past that point warms the butter and develops the gluten in the flour, which makes the cookies tough instead of tender and crumbly.
Chill the log properly. The 30 minutes in the fridge isn't optional. Cold dough slices cleanly into neat rounds and holds its shape in the oven. If the log gets soft while you're slicing, pop it back into the fridge for 10 minutes. You can also chill it overnight, which makes slicing even easier.
Slice evenly. Aim for slices about ⅓ inch thick so every cookie bakes at the same rate. Rotating the log a quarter turn after each cut helps keep the rounds from flattening on one side. Leave about 2 inches between cookies on the parchment-lined tray.
Let them cool before moving. Shortbread is very fragile straight out of the oven. Let the cookies firm up on the tray for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. They'll crisp up as they cool.
Variations
- Earl Grey shortbread. Swap the chai for loose Earl Grey tea for a floral, citrusy cookie. This is the flavor that inspired the recipe in the first place.
- Chai spice shortbread. No chai tea on hand? Replace it with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom and a pinch each of cloves and black pepper.
- Vanilla glazed. Whisk powdered sugar with a splash of milk and a drop of vanilla, then drizzle it over the cooled cookies for a chai-latte look.
- Chocolate dipped. Dip half of each cookie in melted dark chocolate and let it set on parchment. Chocolate and chai are a lovely pairing.
- Sugar-crusted edges. Before slicing, roll the chilled log in turbinado or demerara sugar for sparkly, crunchy edges.
- Different tea. Try the same method with other loose teas, or go floral with our lavender shortbread cookies.
Serving Ideas
These cookies were made for tea time. Serve them alongside a mug of hot chai or a chai latte to double down on the spice, or with a cup of strong black coffee for contrast. Their sturdy, crumbly texture makes them ideal for dunking.
For a simple fall dessert, crumble a couple of cookies over vanilla ice cream, or serve them on the side of our chai poached pears with cinnamon whipped cream. They also look lovely on a holiday cookie tray next to cardamom cookies with lemon and pistachios, and a stack tied up with ribbon makes a thoughtful homemade gift.
Storing & Freezing
Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. The chai flavor actually deepens after a day or so. If your kitchen is very warm, keep them in the fridge so the butter stays firm, and let them come back to room temperature before serving.
Shortbread freezes beautifully. Freeze baked cookies in a single layer, then transfer them to a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature. You can also freeze the unbaked, well-wrapped dough log for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge until it's firm but sliceable, then slice and bake as directed, adding a minute or two to the bake time if needed.
More Shortbread & Spiced Cookies
If you loved this recipe, here are a few more you might enjoy:
- Vegan Shortbread Cookies
- Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
- Vegan Millionaire Shortbread (Caramel Slice)
- Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain flour, all-purpose
- 3 tbs loose leaf chai tea leaves, or the contents of about 6 chai tea bags
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup icing sugar, confectioners'
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 230 g butter, unsalted, softened to room temperature (1 cup / 2 sticks)
Instructions
- Add the flour and chai tea leaves to a food processor and process until the tea is finely ground and speckled evenly through the flour, about 30 to 60 seconds.
- Add the salt, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and softened butter. Pulse just until the mixture comes together into a dough; don't overprocess.
- Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log about 2 ½ inches (6 cm) in diameter. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the chilled log into 24 rounds, about ⅓ inch thick, and arrange them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are just turning golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Jas (The Gluten Free Scallywag) says
I'm about to marry into some Scottish heritage although I'm sure through my Welsh heritage we ate alot of buttery goodness too. These look like a delicious combination of that soft buttery biscuit and the aromas of that spicy Chai blend. Will certainly be giving these a whirl.
Stephanie - The Dessert Spoon says
I too find plain shortbread a little boring, but this shortbread looks delicious. What a wonderful way to add flavour! Perfect for afternoon tea.
Rosa says
A great combination. Those shortbreads must taste amazing!Lovely clicks!Cheers,Rosa
Amanda says
I'm with you - if I'm going to indulge, it has to be worth the calories. Thee little treats look divine & I know I have some chai languishing in the back of the cupboard - perfect!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
I'd devour this with my daily cup of tea! Love the added chai here 🙂
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love shortbread, chai is a perfect flavor for these cookies!
ATasteOfMadness says
Chai AND shortbread cookies? I think I'm in heaven, this sounds like a dream combination!
celia says
Chai and short bread sounds like a good match but when it comes to using tea leaves in baking recipes, is it okay to eat tea leaves?
Jennifer says
Yes, it's perfectly safe to eat the tea leaves. 🙂
GourmetGetaways says
Oh these look so fragrant and delicious! I love shortbread and it would be even more delicious with Chai flavours.
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
Lovely photos and I love the addition of chai to the shortbread. Kicks it up a notch for sure.
thelittleloaf says
I love the photos in this post Jennifer - they look all moody and beautiful. Have you been experimenting with your photography style? Great recipe too - I'm not normally a huge shortbread fan but I love the look of these.
Jennifer says
Yes, I have been experimenting with my style a bit lately as I still don't think I've truly found myself, but I feel I'm getting closer. Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Betty Ann @Mango_Queen says
Wow! My sons will love these! I often try different flavors in shortbread and this is one I haven't done yet. I can't wait to bake these. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Enjoy your week 🙂
Claire @ Claire K Creations says
Beautiful photos as always Jennifer! I know what you mean about being selective. If I take a bit of something 'naughty' and it's not amazing then most of the time that will be my last bite. I don't think that would be the case with your shortbread though.
Jennifer says
Thanks Claire 🙂 I'm exactly the same, if the first bite isn't worth it then I won't eat it.
nishan says
hi,,i cant get chai here in sg,,any subsitute,,thanks foe reply,,,
Jennifer says
Earl grey tea would be fantastic as well 🙂
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says
Chai sounds like the perfect compliment to shortbread. I've always had a soft-spot for shortbread type or sable cookies, the crumbly buttery taste is so comforting.
Yasmeen @ Wandering Spice says
I'm with you 100% that little sweet treats make life just that much better. We LOVE chai here, and love shortbread, so... 1+1 = we'll be making these soon!
Dan says
This looks like the perfect recipe to make for an afternoon tea. I can't wait to try it although knowing my clan, it likely won't last till afternoon! Thank so much for posting.
Wendy says
These look delicious and I love the ease of slice and bake! It would be great to keep a log of these in the freezer for "emergency" shortbread needs. 🙂 Though I have seen a few Earl Grey shortbread recipes, I haven't tried ground tea in cookies yet. The flavors of chai sound perfect for a butter cookie and the speckles of tea make the cookies so pretty!. I will be trying these soon. Now my mind is full of ground tea ideas. 🙂
Joanna @ Chic & Gorgeous Treats says
The shortbread sounds heavenly. I have only had Chai tea a couple of times, and love the aroma of the tea. I must give this a try. Bookmarking it and your photos are superb Jen. ♥ Jo
Yasmeen @ Wandering Spice says
Jennifer, I love these! Just perfect for my afternoon tea. I have to say I also adore your new site design... my new job has kept me well and truly on my toes with hardly any time for blogging, so this is my first time back since you're reno. Looks so chic and feminine, like you 🙂
Toni says
I just made these to send to a friend. I did half chai tea and half chai latte powder. I froze the dough for an hour and rolled the edges of the short bread in raw sugar, cinnamon, and a little pepper before baking. They're in the oven now. Hoping they turn out great! 🙂
Jennifer says
They sound fantastic Toni. How did they turn out? Do you have a photo?
Theresa says
I dont know what I may have done wrong, but my cookies just taste like leaves.
Jennifer says
Hi Theresa,I'm sorry to hear that. Not being the in kitchen with you it's hard to say what went wrong. I can only guess. It could perhaps be a particularly brand of tea you used, or, I know this might be a silly question so please forgive me, but did you include the sugar in the dough?
Theresa says
It could be the tea...I did use sugar.
Donna Davis says
Made these last Christmas. Amazing. I let the dough with tea sit in fridge 2 hours so it would have maximum chai flavor. I ate 6 cookies immediately. Each Day after they got more spicy which I wanted. Am making again this Christmas 2021. I used Stash Chai Spice loose tea and ground in a blender.