Description
These Vegan Brown Sugar Chai Cookies are a delightful blend of warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger, combined with the rich sweetness of dark brown sugar. Soft and slightly chewy with a subtly spicy kick, these cookies use a flax egg to keep them vegan and are rolled in granulated sugar for a delicate crunch. Perfect as a cozy treat for tea time or dessert, they are easy to prepare and baked to perfection for a satisfying cookie experience.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter (Earth Balance sticks recommended)
- 1 flax egg (1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 Tablespoons water, set for 5-10 minutes)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar (can substitute light brown sugar)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground star anise (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For Finishing
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (optional, for rolling cookies before baking)
Instructions
- Cream wet ingredients and spices: In a large mixing bowl, combine the vegan butter, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and optional star anise and black pepper. Using an electric mixer, beat until the mixture becomes soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add flax egg and vanilla: Into the creamed mixture, add the prepared flax egg and vanilla bean paste or extract. Whip together for about 30 seconds to incorporate well.
- Mix in dry ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour to the bowl first. On top of the flour, sift the baking soda and salt using a fork to evenly distribute them. Gently mix all the ingredients until a thick, slightly sticky cookie dough forms. It should not be wet.
- Chill the dough: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up the dough, which helps control spreading during baking.
- Prepare for baking: About 10 minutes before removing the dough, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper and pour the granulated sugar into a small bowl for rolling the cookies.
- Shape and coat cookies: Remove the dough from the fridge. Use a cookie scoop to portion out 10-12 cookies, each about 45-50 grams. Roll each portion into a ball between your palms and then roll in granulated sugar to coat evenly.
- Arrange cookies on baking tray: Place each cookie ball on the prepared tray spaced at least 2 inches apart. Do not flatten the dough balls; cookies will spread as they bake. Bake in batches if needed, six per tray is ideal.
- Bake cookies: Bake for 11-13 minutes until the bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are cooked through but still have slightly soft centers. Adjust baking time to 9-11 minutes for smaller cookies. Remember centers should be soft but not glossy or raw when taken out.
- Create wrinkly texture (optional): Immediately remove the tray from the oven and gently tap it on the counter to create a wrinkled surface. For perfectly round cookies, gently swirl each warm cookie inside a slightly larger round cookie cutter to shape them.
- Cool the cookies: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes. They will deflate slightly and set into a soft, puffy texture.
- Serve and enjoy: Once cooled, serve immediately and enjoy these fragrant and flavorful vegan chai cookies!
Notes
- Use a vegan butter that holds shape well, such as Earth Balance sticks, for best results.
- The flax egg is essential for binding while keeping the recipe vegan.
- Star anise and black pepper are optional but add a complex spice profile if used.
- Chilling the dough is important to prevent spreading and to develop flavor.
- Rolling cookies in granulated sugar before baking adds a pleasant slight crunch and sparkle.
- Bake cookies on one tray at a time to ensure even baking.
- Do not overbake; cookies should have soft centers when removed from the oven.
- The tapping and swirling method after baking helps create an appealing texture and shape.
