These white chocolate chai snickerdoodles are a year-round favorite, but definitely hit the spot on a chilly day. The harmonious chai spice blend of cardamom, allspice, ginger, and cinnamon is bold, warm, and spicy in all the right ways. We’re crowning these chai tea inspired treats the signature cookies of the fall season.
After we published this chai spice cinnamon swirl Bundt cake, readers requested a cookie variation using the same robust flavors.
Tell Me About these White Chocolate Chai Snickerdoodles
- Texture: These chai snickerdoodles are extra soft, which is a lovely contrast to the chunks of white chocolate morsels throughout. The edges are awesomely chewy, the tops are crackly, and the centers are very buttery.
- Flavor: Snickerdoodles have that nostalgic cinnamon-sugar flavor with hints of vanilla. Add that kick of warm, fragrant chai spice along with sweet white chocolate and you’ve got a truly upgraded and flavorful snickerdoodle cookie.
- Ease: You might need a few key spices for the chai, but this recipe is super easy to make. (Which is good because they’ll be gone in seconds!)
- Time: Set aside about 1 hour and 30 minutes, which includes chilling the dough.
Recipe Testing White Chocolate Chai Snickerdoodles
This recipe is slightly different from our soft and thick snickerdoodles. Here are a few tweaks I made:
- An extra egg: I wanted these white chocolate chai snickerdoodles to spread a bit more, so I added an extra egg. We love a super puffy snickerdoodle, but this recipe works better with more spread.
- Baking soda: To keep the cookies from spreading too much though, I added a little baking soda. This helps our snickerdoodles stay lifted and light.
- Brown sugar: I added brown sugar because I love the flavor. Plus, it works so well with the cinnamon and chai spice flavoring.
Definitely Don’t Skip this Ingredient
Snickerdoodles aren’t just drop sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar. They’re SO much more than that. And guess what? Cream of tartar is the reason for the distinguishing difference because it’s what gives snickerdoodles their signature flavor and texture:
- A slight tang mixed in with the classic cinnamon-sugar mix.
- The ideal chewiness.
We’ve linked to this article before, but it’s worth sharing again: the real difference between snickerdoodles and sugar cookies. It will help you to see that the secret to yummy snickerdoodles is cream of tartar. Don’t skip it! You can use it in my regular snickerdoodles, caramel snickerdoodles, peanut butter snickerdoodles, and maple pecan snickerdoodles, too.
Chai Snickerdoodles Sizing
For best taste and texture, we recommend using 1.5 Tablespoons of dough per cookie. You can use a cookie scoop or a regular Tablespoon measuring spoon, but make it a heaping Tablespoon. Roll each cookie dough ball into the chai spice and sugar topping.
After that, arrange the cookie dough balls onto the baking sheets and bake until the sides are lightly browned. While the chai snickerdoodle cookies are still warm, I like to press a few white chocolate chips on top – this is optional and just for looks.
More Chai Inspired Recipes
- Chai Spice Donuts
- Chai Spice Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake
- Apple Pie with Chai Spices
- Chai Latte Cupcakes
- Chai Pumpkin Meringue Pie
White Chocolate Chai Snickerdoodles
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: about 30 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These white chocolate chai snickerdoodles are a step up from our traditional snickerdoodles. The harmonious chai spice blend of cardamom, allspice, ginger, and cinnamon is bold, warm, and spicy in all the right ways.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (270g) white chocolate chips
Topping
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Beat in the white chocolate chips. The cookie dough will be thick. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour and up to 3 days.
- Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator. If the cookie dough chilled longer than 3-4 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This makes the cookie dough easier to scoop and roll.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
- Combine the topping ingredients. Set aside.
- Roll cookie dough into balls, about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough per cookie. Roll each in the topping mixture and arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft.
- Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. While the cookies are still warm, I like to press a few more white chocolate chips into the tops– this is only for looks!
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or can be frozen up to 3 months. You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature then continue with step 5. I suggest freezing the cookie dough as a whole (for up to 3 months), then thawing overnight in the refrigerator before rolling/shaping.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Keywords: white chocolate chai snickerdoodles
Not sure if it’s the nature of the cookie (my first time making snickerdoodles) but the cookie was very plain. There was nothing wrong with the texture, but the flavour IMO was lacking. I used half shortening half butter (I like crunchier cookies) and that turned out fine. White chocolate chai sounds very flavourful, but my cookies weren’t. Texture was great, but you could barely taste the “chai”, i would say it was more of a hint. Not giving up on the recipe, but it was a little underwhelming on my first try.
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what would you think of substituting butterscotch chips for the white ones sally?
That would be delicious, Kaitlyn!
My cookies were still rather puffy when they came out of the oven, and the sugar-spice mixture that you roll the dough balls in created a rather hard exterior after baking (crunchy is nice, but they were a little too crunchy). Any ideas on what happened?
Hi Barbara, What heat settings are you using on your oven? Any change you are using convection/fan settings? The flow of air from convection heat can cause baked goods to rise and bake unevenly and it also pulls moisture out of the oven which causes dry/crispy exteriors and soft interiors. If you do use convection settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake.
Scrumptious cookie – they did come out a lot smaller than I anticipated but still very good. Loved the chai spice on this cookie!
★★★★
This cookie has to be one of the best tasting cookies ever. I had to put them away so I didn’t eat them all. These cookies will be a great gift to give all the children I tutor for the holidays. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes. I look forward every month for your challenge baked goods, too.
Loved these! I messed up and added a few too many chips, and my allspice was a little blah and in need of replacement. But loved the taste and texture. Definitely a keeper recipe. Made a double batch and will be freezing them for Christmas cookie plates.
Can the cream Of tarter be left our ? Thx
Hi Felicia, You can leave the cream of tartar out or replace with a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Enjoy!
One of my new favorite cookie recipes! I’ve always loved snickerdoodles and the white chocolate + chai combo is delicious. I made a half batch of this recipe and still ended up with 20 cookies – not that anyone in my house is complaining!
★★★★★
I just made these and they turned out perfectly!! I added milk chocolate chips as well as white chocolate chips and they taste delicious.
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Incredible cookies! I loved the tribute to a classic but with the delicious masala chai spices and white chocolate! Everyone in my family loves them! Thanks for another phenomenal recipe!
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Hi Sally,
Can’t wait to try this!! can I reduce the amount of sugar (granulated + brown) In the recipe ? Trying to make this as a reduced sugar option for members in my family. Thanks!
Hi Sam, You can try slightly reducing the sugar, but keep in mind that sugar is not just for taste, it is also responsible for the texture and moisture in the cookies. If you change the sugar in the cookie dough the end result will change. You can definitely reduce or skip the sugar coating on the outside of the cookies though!
These cookies are incredible. Both my mother and my hubby don’t like desserts that are too sweet and they don’t like snickerdoodles and they said these are their favorite cookies. They are up there for me too. Thank you for these, they are a hit and a half.
★★★★★
Hi, they look delicious! Can I halve the recipe? Thanks!
Yes you can, Lauren. Enjoy!
I made these cookies for my coworker’s birthday on Monday and they are so good! I replaced the butter with vegetable oil since she can’t have any dairy, but they still came out perfectly! They put me in the mood for some cozy sweater weather, and I can’t wait for fall so I can make more of these (and other fall-like baking confections).
I don’t think anything I’ve made from your website has come out wrong!
★★★★★
Do you ever make these cookies with the chai spices in the batter? Looking at the Soft & Thick Snickerdoodle recipe (which I love!) it’s got 1 1/2″ tsp of cinnamon for the same flour and butter content. So I’m guessing I could increase the cinnamon/cardamom/ginger/allspice mix by 50%, use 1 1/2 tsp in the dough and 3 tsp for rolling with the sugar. Or do the spices not really come through when baked in the dough?
Hi Kim, You can add the chai spice mix to the cookies for extra flavor without making any other changes. Enjoy!
These are some of the best cookies I’ve ever had. Family also said they’re amazing. Thanks!
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Just made these cookies. They are so very good.
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Oh My Gosh!! I just took my first bite. These are incredible. I made a double batch right off, because, well, you do know your way around a good cookie recipe, but now I need to make another double batch because my family is going to devour these way before Christmas.
These were DELICIOUS!!!!!!!! The only thing is I wasn’t getting as much chai as I would have liked.
★★★★★
These cookies are really amazing!
Hey. I also just wanted to say, I am really, really grateful for this blog, and for you! I’ve very recently discovered in me a real love for baking, and it all started with your lemon blueberry cake recipe that I made for my daughter’s first birthday. I made it 3 times to practice in the months before her birthday because the most baking I had ever done prior was from a box. The cake was hit, of course, (all 3 times!) … and now I’ve got my own little baking addiction.
Thanks so much, Sally, for sharing your art with the world.
★★★★★
Hi Natalie, I’m absolutely thrilled that the lemon blueberry cake started your love of baking – it’s still one of my favorites! And I’m so grateful for you and this wonderful community of bakers who allow me to share my passion! <3
I’ve been making these cookies for a couple years now, and they’re an absolute favourite. Whenever I offer to bake for an event, people always beg for my white chocolate chai cookies! Great recipe, absolute smasher
★★★★★
These cookies were excellent, Sally! I’ve never had snickerdoodles with white chocolate, but it worked so well! I brought the entire batch in to my office and they pretty much disappeared within a day.
I just made this work and everyone is already demanding more lol. Your recipes always bring a smile to an overworked and understaffed lab.
Thanks for all the effort you put into your site.
Made these and loved them- but mine spread like pancakes for some reason! They were delicious, but trying to figure out what went wrong! Is overmixinf a potential cause? I️ make sure to start with room temp everything.
This recipe is AMAZING! One of three Christmas Cookie recipes made this year, and by far my favorite. Perfectly sweet and packed with chocolate and warming spices. My only change/comment was that I only used 50% of the spiced sugar used to roll the balls of dough. This one will be a permanent addition to my Holiday Baking Portfolio. Thanks Sally!
Thank you very much for this recipe! The cookies came out really well and I used white chocolate chunks that I cut instead of white chocolate chips but they were really enjoyed by my friends 🙂 I used this recipe to bake holiday cookies for a family! Thank you!
What can I substitute for ground cardamom? It’s hard to find cardamom where I live.
You can do a half teaspoon of nutmeg (it’s a stronger spice so you would put less in) or just leave it out!
I just made these today and they are perfection! Thank you for another amazing recipe ❤️
Ok, I just pulled these from the oven….they are amazing! Now to stop eating them! The one and only thing I had to do different was I had to chop my white chocolate as I don’t live in the USA and can’t fined white chocolate chips here. Well one more bad mistake, that I didn’t double or triple the recipe! Love, love these! Thanks for the recipe!!