The Best Chai Cookies [with Cheesecake Filling]
Recipe: https://recipestripper.com/recipes/37007395-8b06-444b-b770-fa9d9c6e321b
Original source: https://flouringkitchen.com/chai-cookies/
Recipe image: https://flouringkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/chai_cookies_thumbnail.jpg

These chai cookies are soft and chewy with crisp edges, perfectly spiced, and filled with cheesecake. They bake up thick, soft, with a gooey center. These chai cookies are filled with chai tea, and spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and nutmeg. This recipe is easy to make and follow, and it's actually quite easy to stuff the cookies with the filling! If you don't want to make the cheesecake filling, I've included instructions on how to bake them without the filling.
They're the perfect cozy cookie to make for fall.
Yield: 16
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT15M
Total time: PT30M

Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2  chai tea bags (regular paper tea bags)
- 1  large egg (room temperature)
- 1  large egg yolk (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour (300g)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (ground)
- ½ teaspoon cardamom (ground)
- ½ teaspoon ginger (ground)
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg (ground)

Instructions
1. [Cheesecake filling] *Make this one hour before making the cookie dough so that the filling has a chance to freeze. You can make the cheesecake cookie filling 1-2 days ahead of time and freeze until you're ready to make the cookie dough and bake the cookies.*
2. [Cheesecake filling] In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix together until creamy.
3. [Cheesecake filling] Transfer to a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the end cut off. Pipe 16 dollops onto a parchment lined baking sheet or plate. Place the baking sheet into the freezer to freeze.
4. [Chai cookie dough] Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
5. [Chai cookie dough] In a stand mixer or large bowl, combine softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Open the teabags and add the contents into the bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until it starts to get light and creamy.
6. [Chai cookie dough] Add one egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and salt to the butter mixture. Mix until combined.
7. [Chai cookie dough] Add flour, baking soda, and baking powder into the bowl. Stir together to form a cookie dough.
8. [Chai cookie dough] Portion the cookie dough into 16 balls. I used a 1.35 oz (2.7 tablespoon scoop) for this.
9. [Chai cookie dough] Remove the cream cheese from the freezer. One by one, flatten each cookie dough ball and add the cream cheese filling into the center. Press the cookie dough around the filling. Work quickly so that the filling doesn't melt.
10. [Spiced sugar] Combine sugar and spices in a medium bowl. Roll the cookie dough balls into the sugar mixture, making sure that they get liberally coated.
11. [Spiced sugar] Bake the cookie dough for 12-13 minutes, leaving 2-3 inches of space in between to spread. I baked 6 cookies at a time. Place the remaining cookie dough in the fridge until you're ready to bake them.
12. [Spiced sugar] Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 1 minute before transferring onto a cooling rack to cool. Finish baking the cookies.
13. [Spiced sugar] If you're baking these cookies without the cheesecake filling: Pop the rolled and sugared cookie dough balls into the freezer for 20 minutes before baking. Reduce the baking time by 2 minutes.