Taylor Swift’s chai sugar cookies are the kind of fall treat that instantly fills your home with warmth. Every year when cozy season begins, these cookies take over social feeds, and for good reason. They are soft, chewy, warmly spiced, and incredibly easy to make. After admiring them for years, I finally baked a batch myself this season, and they completely lived up to the hype.
The recipe originates from Joy the Baker, whose version Taylor adapted. Joy describes them as tender and chewy with the perfect autumn aesthetic, and that is exactly what you get. The blend of chai spices mixed into a classic sugar cookie base creates an aroma that feels like a hug. Even better, the process is simple enough for beginners, so anyone can enjoy these Taylor Swift’s chai sugar cookies without stress.
Everything comes together in one bowl, and the dough chills briefly before baking. While the cookies are in the oven, you whip up a simple chai icing that adds a sweet, spiced finish. From start to plate, the recipe takes less than an hour, making it great for weeknights or a slow weekend morning when you want something comforting.
Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil (olive oil works if needed)
½ cup white sugar, plus extra for rolling
½ cup powdered sugar, plus extra for icing
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 chai tea bag for the dough
½ chai tea bag for the icing
Milk for thinning the icing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until fluffy, then mix in the vegetable oil.
- Add white sugar, powdered sugar, egg, and vanilla, and combine well.
- Add flour, baking soda, salt, and the contents of one chai tea bag. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Chill the dough for about one hour.
- Roll small amounts of dough into 12 balls. Coat each ball in white sugar and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, or until lightly golden.
- While they cool, make the icing. Mix powdered sugar with half a chai tea bag, adding milk a little at a time until you reach a drizzle consistency.
- Once the cookies are fully cooled, spoon the icing over the tops.
Soft, spiced, and perfectly cozy, these cookies taste like fall in every bite.
Recipe notes:
- Note 1, pro tip: use the wrapper from your butter to grease your cookie sheet!
- Note 2, use an electric hand mixer to beat the butter – much less physical work on the baker’s part.
- Note 4, I found that mixing with a fork helped incorporate the mixture really well. I then used a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl that I missed.
- Note 5, I didn’t end up chilling the dough, but the cookies turned out just fine!
