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Home » Desserts » Cookies, Bars & Brownies » Chai Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Chai Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Apr 16, 2022 · by Valentina · 16 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

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Chai Cookies with Chocolate Chunks will warm your heart and soothe your soul. Warming chai spices and melting chocolate make this one of the best exotic cookie recipes ever.

Small white espresso mugh holding 3 chai cookies with cinnamon sticks and green cardamom pods.

These Chai Spice Cookies are near and dear to my heart.

Once upon a time, they almost had me starting a cookie brand, which was going to be called ValenTEAna & Co. Cute, right? I got a little sidetracked with other delicious ideas like Cooking On The Weekends, but I might come back to it one day.

I fell in love with the idea of making cookies with tea -- or tea flavors -- as an ingredient.

These chai cookies are without a doubt my favorite cookie recipe I've ever created. The warm flavors, the soft texture, the melting chocolate . . . . it's all so dreamy.

The Ingredients

Tea kettle shaped white dish with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and black pepper.

Above: From top left . . . ground black peppercorns, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.

  • ground cardamom
  • ground cinnamon
  • ground cloves
  • ground ginger
  • black pepper - Preferably freshly ground. And don't be thrown by this -- if you've ever made Black Pepper Chocolate Chip Cookies, you know exactly how delicious the combination can be.
  • Kosher salt - If you use table salt, use half of the amount listed in the recipe card (below).
  • all-purpose flour
  • baking soda - If you don’t bake regularly, it’s a good idea to check to be sure your baking soda is still good. Pour a couple of tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice over about ¼ teaspoon of the baking soda. If it starts to fizz, it’s still good.
  • unsalted butter
  • granulated sugar
  • light brown sugar
  • pure vanilla extract - I like this one.
  • heavy cream
  • dark molassas - This adds somewhat of a sweet burnt caramel flavor that is fantastic with the chai spices.
  • egg
  • milk chocolate

Substitutions and Variations

  • I use milk chocolate in this recipe. I have tested it with both semisweet and dark chocolate, and find that the milk chocolate doesn't compete as much with the flavors of the spices, but this is your call, and whatever you choose, they'll be incredibly delicious.
  • If you want to make the cookies with raisins, I would definitely use this method, adding all of the spices to the butter, along with the cinnamon. (This will make sense when you look at the method.)
  • Gluten-free version. I’ve tested this recipe using Cup4Cup Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, and it works well.
Black mortar filled with cinnamon sticks, green cardamom, whole cloves and whole black peppercorns.

Recipe Tips

  • You can use whole or ground spices. If you choose to grind whole spices, I suggest using an electric spice grinder, rather than a mortar and pestle. We want the spices as fine as possible. (Of course, pre-ground will save time.)
  • The baking time is about 9 minutes. When you take them out of the oven, you want them to be only slightly crisp on the edges and almost doughy-looking in the very center, as they will firm up a bit as they cool. (They will still be good if they're baked a bit past this point, but I prefer the texture this way.)
  • You can reuse the parchment paper after each batch is baked. No need to keep using new sheets. (Do this with any cookies you're making.)
  • I use a 1¼ inch cookie scoop for these cookies, but feel free to make them any size you like.

How to Make Them

See the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

- Combine the chai spices in a small bowl and chop the chocolate.

- Mix the flour and baking soda with the chai spices and salt. Then combine the softened butter with the sugars, vanilla, molasses, and cream. Gradually blend in the egg.

Mixing bowl with flour and spices - not yet mixed.
Mixing bowl with wooden spoon and beige cookie dough.

- Add the dry mixture and stir only until it's incorporated. Then fold in the chocolate chunks.

Cookie dough with chocolate chunks in a cream-colored ceramic bowl with a wooden spoon.

- Use a cookie scoop (approximately 1¼-inch) to shape the dough into balls, placing them on the parchment-lined baking sheets as you go. (They can be close together.)

Top view of ball of chai chocolate chip cookie batter, shaped into a ball, on parchment paper.

- Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm, at least 1 hour.

- While the dough is in the refrigerator, preheat the to 350° F. Place 9 to 12 of the shaped cookie dough balls on another parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes in a 350° F oven, just until the edges are barely beginning to brown.

9 baked chai chocolate cookies on a cooling rack.

- Carefully remove the baked cookies with a metal spatula and place them on a cooling rack. Repeat this process until all of the cookies are baked.

What is Chai?

  • Chai is the generic word for tea in Hindi, the main language of India. Chai is derived from the Chinese word for tea, which is Cha.
  • Chai is a mix of spices steeped into a tea-like beverage, and recipes for it can vary greatly.
  • Traditional ingredients for Chai usually include black tea mixed with strong spices, like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and black peppercorns. (There's no black tea in my Chai Spice Cookies -- just the alluring, exotic spices -- and chocolate.)
  • The tea is typically brewed strong, and has milk and sugar or honey added to it.
Top view of a few Chai cookies with whole cloves on top.

What do Chai Spice Cookies taste like?

Fiery and sweet at the same time, this incredibly flavorful chai spice blend makes for a delicious and calming (yes, calming), cookie-eating experience.

While the individual flavors of the spices can be detected, it's the overall flavor of the blend that's so wonderful.

Imagine a chai tea latte with a bit of melting chocolate -- in cookie form.

They'll warm your heart and soothe your soul. Try them and see.

More Unique and Exotic Cookie Recipes

  • Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
  • Hatch Chile Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut
  • Pistachio Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Lemon Blueberry Cookies
  • Creamy Coffee Chocolate Cookies
  • Chestnut Cookies with Chocolate
stack of 5 Chai Cookies on beige mesh cloth with connamon sticks.

How to Store Them

  • Once they're completely cooled, these cookies can be stored in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you don’t plan to serve them within the first couple days after baking them, you can freeze them.
  • They can be kept frozen in an air-tight container for up to a month. (Longer is okay, but the longer they’re frozen, the more moisture they’ll loose.)

I hope you enjoy every last crumb, and that my Chai Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies become a favorite for you too.

Small white espresso mugh holding 3 chai cookies with cinnamon sticks and green cardamom pods.

Chai Cookies Recipe

Valentina K. Wein
Chai Cookies with chocolate chunks might just warm your heart and soothe your soul. Warming spices and melting chocolate fill a delicious soft, buttery cookie.
Makes about 5 dozen
5 from 3 votes
Print
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Refrigeration 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 30
Calories 198 kcal

Equipment

  • sheet pans
  • parchment paper
  • cookie/ice cream scoop
  • cooling rack

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon molasses
  • 1 large egg, lightly mixed with a fork
  • 14 ounces milk chocolate, roughly chopped (or chips)

Instructions
 

  • Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. Set them aside.
  • Make chai spice mix and prep chocolate. Combine the chai spices in a small bowl and chop the chocolate. Set these aside, too.
  • Make batter. In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour and baking soda with the chai spices and salt.
    In a slightly larger mixing bowl, combine the softened butter with the sugars, vanilla, molasses, and cream. Then, gradually blend in the egg.
    Add the flour mixture and stir only until the flour is incorporated. Then fold in the chocolate chunks.
  • Shape and refrigerate. Use an (approximately 1¼ inch) cookie scoop to shape the dough into balls, placing each one on the parchment-lined baking sheets as you go. (At this point, the balls can be very close together.) Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm, at least 1 hour.
  • While the dough is in the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 350° F.
  • Bake and cool. Place 9 to 12 of the shaped cookie dough balls on another parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, just until the dough has solidified. It might still look a bit doughy in the very center -- which is perfect!
    Carefully remove the baked cookies with a metal spatula and place them on a cooling rack. Repeat this process until all of the cookies are baked.

NOTES

Calorie count is only an estimate.

NUTRITION

Calories: 198kcal
Keywords cookies with spices, exotic cookie recipes, recipes with chai
Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. angiesrecipes

    April 16, 2022 at 8:24 pm

    Love spiced cookies! These look fantastic, Valentina.

    Reply
    • valentina

      April 26, 2022 at 3:47 pm

      Thanks, Angie! 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
  2. Marissa

    April 19, 2022 at 2:03 pm

    5 stars
    These cookies have a wonderful flavor profile, Valentina! I love chocolate and cinnamon, so why not chocolate and chai spice for even more depth. And, yes, ValenTEAna & Co. is an adorable name! But selfishly, I'm glad you're here instead.

    Reply
    • valentina

      April 26, 2022 at 3:48 pm

      So sweet, Marissa. Thank you! 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
  3. John / Kitchen Riffs

    April 20, 2022 at 7:59 am

    Black pepper and chocolate is a magical combo. And speaking of magical, these cookies look enchanted! Such an interesting flavor. You definitely need to start your own cookie brand. 🙂

    Reply
    • valentina

      April 26, 2022 at 4:38 pm

      You're very kind, John. Thank you and I'm happy to hear you're into the pepper+chocolate combination, like me. 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
  4. Ben | Havocinthekitchen

    April 25, 2022 at 5:43 pm

    5 stars
    I love those cookies that are fiery and sweet, and these look EPIC! I'm a huge fan of spiced cookies, particularly, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon, so these are definitely for me 🙂

    Reply
    • valentina

      April 26, 2022 at 4:38 pm

      Hi Ben! Thank you so much. I do love the fiery+sweet! Happy you do too. Enjoy. 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
  5. elizabeth foley

    October 18, 2023 at 5:18 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! My favorite cookie with camomile tea, at night. Every night! Thank you. They are so good, I'm going to need to make them, myself--and I dislike baking!
    xoxo

    Reply
    • Valentina

      October 19, 2023 at 3:40 pm

      Thanks so much, Elizabeth! So happy you liked them so much. Yay! 🙂 ~Valentina

      Reply
  6. Mimi Rippee

    January 19, 2025 at 4:40 pm

    I don’t bake cookies, cause I really can’t. I’m not a baker, but I wanted to say something, even though there really aren’t words. I am so sorry for what you and your family are going through. I cannot even imagine, of course. Big hugs.
    http://www.chefmimiblog.com

    Reply
    • Valentina

      January 19, 2025 at 10:43 pm

      Thank you, Mimi. And the hugs are much appreciated. xo Valentina

      Reply
  7. Eha Carr

    January 19, 2025 at 5:52 pm

    Oh my dear Lord! I certainly did not expect to read this when I clicked onto your post! As Mimi says - there are no words. Living in a bushfire-prone area as I do myself, I have been there and do so understand. Words fail - am just sending the biggest hug and a million wishes to you and yours that small things happening will make this period just a little easier . . . day by day . . .

    Reply
    • Valentina

      January 19, 2025 at 10:42 pm

      Thank you so much for your kind words, Eha. I really appreciate it. Small wins help,for sure. Big hugs to you too. xo Valentina

      Reply
  8. David Scott Allen

    January 20, 2025 at 10:50 am

    I do bake cookies and have been making a lot lately for people who are down (winter, right?). These will be my next; I would love nothing more than to bake them for you and your hosts. You know that you are in my heart every day.

    Reply
    • Valentina

      January 24, 2025 at 10:53 am

      David, you have a heart of gold. Thank you. xo Valentina

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

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