Chai Spice Snickerdoodles
Yields: 24 cookies
 
These chewy, buttery cookies are perfect for any spice lover! They’re full of the same cozy flavors as chai, then rolled in cinnamon “sugar” for a sweet and crunchy coating. Leftovers will keep for at least 5 days if stored in an airtight container—if they last that long!
  • for the cookies
  • 2 cups (240g) whole wheat pastry flour or gluten-free* flour (measured correctly)
  • 1 ½ tsp cornstarch
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp (56g) unsalted butter or coconut oil*, melted and cooled slightly
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp butter extract
  • 1 cup (192g) coconut sugar
  • for the coating
  • 6 tbsp (80g) Truvia
  • ¾ - 1 tsp cinnamon, or to taste
  1. To prepare the cookies, whisk together the flour and next 7 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl. Whisk together the butter, eggs, vanilla, and butter extract in a separate bowl. Stir in the coconut sugar. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. To prepare the coating, stir together the Truvia and cinnamon in a small bowl.
  3. Roll the dough into 24 spheres, and place onto the prepared baking sheets. If the dough is still sticky, use a spoon and spatula to drop it into rounded scoops onto the baking sheets instead. Working with one sphere at a time, drop it into the cinnamon mixture, and roll it around until it’s completely coated. Place the sphere back onto the baking sheet, and repeat with the remaining dough. Once all of the spheres have been coated, roll them around in the cinnamon mixture again for a second coat.
  4. Flatten each sphere to about half of its original height, and sprinkle the tops with a little more of the cinnamon mixture. Bake at 350°F for 9-11 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes: For the gluten-free flour, use as follows: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, ½ cup (60g) tapioca flour, 6 tablespoons (42g) coconut flour, and 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum. I cannot guarantee that any other gluten-free flour blend will work.

The cornstarch helps keep the cookies soft and chewy.

I highly recommend using butter instead of coconut oil for the best taste!

Butter extract is what makes these healthier snickerdoodles taste as rich and buttery as traditional recipes. You can find it on the baking aisle near the other extracts, and it’s fairly inexpensive. I highly recommend against substituting for it, but in a pinch, vanilla extract will work.

Brown sugar may be substituted for the coconut sugar, and granulated sugar may be substituted for the Truvia. If either of these substitutions are used, the cookies will no longer be clean eating friendly.

When rolling the cookie dough in the cinnamon-Truvia mixture, it sometimes doesn’t stick very well. As long as you sprinkle extra on the tops of the cookies just before baking, it’ll be fine.

{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2015/12/07/chai-spice-snickerdoodles/