Fall Baking Bliss: Elevate Your Taste Buds with Taylor Swift's Ultimate Chai Cookie Recipe

Taylor Swift. Hector Vivas/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

Taylor Swift not only delights her fans with her sweet melodies, but she also knows how to satisfy their sweet tooth! The renowned songstress has blessed Swifties with her iconic fall chai cookie recipe.

Back in the autumn of 2014, when Taylor was just 33 years old and already a Grammy winner, she treated her fans by sharing a mouthwatering photo of her delectable creation on Instagram. Alongside the captivating image, she captioned, "Behold, the heavenly combination of chai sugar cookies adorned with cinnamon eggnog icing - a delightful taste of Christmas in September."

A Tumblr fan requested the recipe, and without hesitation, she promptly shared what her followers desired. "Alright, here are two options," she explained. "The simple and effortless approach is to use a sugar cookie mix and add chai tea by opening a packet and pouring it into the batter while making it. This way, baking cookies can be a relaxing part of your busy day. Voila, it's done."

Swift also disclosed the origin of her homemade cookies, mentioning that she modified instructions from Joy the Baker for her 1989 Secret Sessions. During these sessions, she invited fans to her home to listen to the album for the first time.

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Swift mentioned that the sugar cookies she shared were a simple yet incredibly delicious recipe. She explained that she incorporated a chai twist to infuse the cookies with a cozy holiday vibe, which turned out to be a delightful addition. Swift highlighted this modification in the recipe by placing a star next to it.

The singer noted that in addition to the standard recipe, she added a packet of chai to the mix. "After adding the egg and vanilla, open one chai tea packet and pour the crushed tea leaves into the batter because we're making chai cookies," Swift wrote.

She provided fans with more explicit instructions when she shared a autographed recipe page in November 2014. Her handwritten recipe was auctioned off by Gotta Have Rock and Roll in 2019. While we can't help you obtain Swift's autographed ingredient list (the winning bid was $4,189), we can share the directions she wrote.

Taylor Swift’s Chai Sugar Cookies and Icing Recipe

Ingredients

2 sticks of butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger (I didn’t have that, so I grated just a little fresh ginger in)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/8 tsp ground cloves

a pinch of black pepper

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Method

1. Oven at 350°F, grease cookie sheet

2. Beat butter and add vegetable oil

3. Add sugar, powered sugar, egg and vanilla

4. Star in flour, backing soda and salt (and tea!)

5. Chill the soft dough for about 1 hour

6. Line cookie sheet with 12 tbsp dough drops

7. Press Evenly and cover with sugar

8. Nine-ish minutes in the oven

9. Cover with icing when cool completely

Icing Method

Swift's handwritten recipe does not provide instructions for icing, but she clarifies in her Tumblr post. According to her post, she made icing for the cookies, however, they can also be enjoyed on their own. For those interested in making icing, Swift suggests mixing 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons of milk or eggnog (if available during this time of year). She mentions that adding more milk/eggnog will result in a glazier icing, but she approves of glazes as well. Ultimately, Swift encourages everyone to live their life and choose the option that suits them best during this festive season.

In addition, she recommended enhancing the flavor with various spices. "After icing the baked cookies, I gently dusted them with a sprinkle of cinnamon. However, the possibilities are endless when it comes to pairing different icings with these cookies - it's absolutely amazing," Swift wrote. "If you're feeling daring, you can even add a few drops of food coloring to the icing for a festive touch. No one is going to hold you back."

"And why not? Because the bakers are gonna bake, bake, bake, bake, bake," Swift concluded.

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Taylor Swift