Chocolate Chai Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodles infused with chocolate and warming spices reminiscent of a cup of hot chai tea.
Snickerdoodles infused with chocolate and warming spices reminiscent of a cup of hot chai tea.
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 2-1/4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup baking cocoa
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- Carbohydrate 1.4478054406028 g
- Cholesterol 13.829166678127 mg
- Fat 6.80986074643998 g
- Fiber 0.579482742785938 g
- Protein 0.693284792051242 g
- Saturated Fat 4.28467352210747 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (17g)
- Sodium 44.3058991054084 mg
- Sugar 0.868322697816861 g
- Trans Fat 0.436356713326087 g
- Calories 65 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350degrees. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Remove 1/2 cup sugar mixture to a shallow dish.
- Add butter to remaining sugar mixture; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking cocoa, cream of tartar, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture.
- Shape dough into 1-1/2-in. balls. Roll in reserved sugar mixture; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with bottom of a glass. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Ingredient lists alone do not reveal how the dense blend of cardamom, ginger, white pepper, and allspice interacts with the cocoa powder and butter base. Balancing these pungent aromatics requires precise measurements so that the heat of the white pepper does not overwhelm the subtle bitterness of the baking cocoa.
- Whisking the spices thoroughly into the flour mixture before incorporation prevents localized pockets of concentrated cardamom or ginger in the baked cookies.
- Creaming the butter and sugar until the mixture turns pale yellow and visibly increases in volume incorporates the air necessary to keep these heavy spiced cookies from becoming dense.
- Substituting the all-purpose flour with a measured one-to-one gluten-free baking blend works well if you require a wheat-free formulation, provided the blend contains xanthan gum to mimic gluten's binding properties.
- Flattening the dough balls slightly with the bottom of a smooth glass before baking ensures even thickness, allowing the 350-degree oven heat to cook the centers at the same rate as the edges.
- Removing the cookies from the oven precisely when the edges feel firm while the centers remain soft prevents the chocolate from drying out during residual cooling on the wire racks.
Properly cooled cookies stored in an airtight container at room temperature maintain their texture for up to five days. Standard baking sheets suffice for this method without requiring parchment paper, though greased surfaces should be avoided to prevent excessive spreading.
