As “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” hits theaters, there’s no better way to celebrate than with a delicious recipe from the pop icon herself. In 2014, Taylor Swift shared a chai sugar cookie recipe that is perfect for “cardigan” season. I’m no baking expert, but these sweet treats are sure to have you dancing ‘round the kitchen in the refrigerator light.
Here are the ingredients that you’ll need:
Ingredients (for cookies):
½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup sugar
½ cup powdered sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 chai tea bag
Ingredients (for icing):
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon milk or eggnog
Once you gather the necessary ingredients, you can begin making these “Enchanted” cookies.
First, place the appropriate amount of unsalted butter, vegetable oil, and sugar into a mixing bowl. I have a KitchenAid mixer that greatly expedited the process, but you can also combine these ingredients by hand.
Next, add powdered sugar, the egg, and vanilla extract. Once these are properly stirred into the dough, mix in flour, baking soda, salt, and a tea bag. I used Tazo’s Organic Chai Tea, but any other brand will work as well.
Here are all of the ingredients inside my mixing bowl:
Once you mix these ingredients, a soft dough should be produced. You need to let this dough chill for an hour in the refrigerator. While you wait, put on your favorite Taylor Swift album. Author’s note: “evermore” pairs wonderfully with the aroma of vanilla and chai in your kitchen to produce the perfect atmosphere for the fall season.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a cookie sheet. Next, roll the dough into round balls. You can do this with a scooper, but if you put a little vegetable oil on your fingertips you can use your hands without worrying about the dough getting stuck. Make sure that the dough balls are evenly placed on the sheet before placing it inside the oven.
The cookies will take somewhere from 10-20 minutes to fully bake. Keep an eye on them to ensure that they don’t burn and that this doesn’t turn into a “Sad Beautiful Tragic” baking affair.
Ta-Da! Your cookies are ready. Now we need to prepare the icing. Mix your powdered sugar, cinnamon, and milk in a bowl. I used oat milk, but you’re welcome to select a suitable alternative. Before you cover your cookies with icing, you need to wait for them to cool down. After fifteen minutes, I dipped the cookies into the icing bowl and sprinkled cinnamon on top. Here is the final product:
I wasn’t sure what to expect with these cookies, but they were certainly a pleasant surprise. The chai and vanilla flavor pair perfectly together to create a savory, decadent interior. If you have a sweet tooth, the icing is a superb topping. It was a little too sugary for me; however, so I personally preferred the cookies without any icing.
As the temperature begins to dip and autumn trickles into view, these chai sugar cookies are the perfect way to welcome the season with open arms. Swift’s cookies provide a bite of fall-infused heaven that leaves you with a yearning for a “When Harry Met Sally” rewatch and a new pumpkin-scented candle. After following her recipe, I think it’s safe to say that writing songs with oh-so-addicting bridges to scream in the shower isn’t Swift’s only forte. I, for one, would love to see a Taylor Swift cooking show. Happy baking, Gators!