These gluten-free chai cookies are one of my favorite ways to turn classic chai spices into an easy, delicious soft cookie. They have a light cinnamon-sugar coating that gives them a snickerdoodle-style finish without overpowering the chai spices. If you enjoy chai lattes or spiced desserts, this homemade cookie recipe is a great place to start.
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❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary:
Quick Bite: These gluten-free chai cookies are soft, warmly spiced cookies inspired by classic chai flavors like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves. Finished with a light cinnamon-sugar coating, they have a snickerdoodle-style exterior without overpowering the chai spices.
Made these last evening for my husband’s men’s group. The plate came back empty
Cindy W., Facebook comment.“
“I am really excited about this homemade gluten free chai cookie recipe. I take all of the chai flavor and then roll the cookies in a snickerdoodle coating. They are bakery-style gluten-free chai cookies that will quickly become a family favorite.
This is for my readers who love chai tea, chai lattes, and warm fall spices. You get all of the spicy flavors of chai tea in a sweet cookie form! These cookies are perfect for the holidays!
I have a few delicious cookie flavors for you to try, including my classic Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles, Gluten-Free Crumbl Cookies, and Gluten-Free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles.
A Note From My Kitchen
Testing this recipe was enjoyable, and it gave me a chance to vary the level of spiciness between batches. If you like a stronger flavored chai, follow my recipe’s spice amounts. If you want to tone them down a bit, omit the black pepper.
Most flour blends will work in this recipe, but don’t forget to look at your cookie dough consistency and adjust with more flour or butter depending on whether it is sticky or dry. Make any adjustments 1 tablespoon at a time.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
These cookies are made with simple ingredients. The big note is to be sure your spices are gluten free. McCormick and Penzey are very good about declaring whether their spices contain gluten ingredients.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure and Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Blend. These two blends perform similarly in testing this cookie recipe. I needed 1 tablespoon of additional flour using Bob’s blend. Flour blends vary, and you may need to add more moisture or flour based on the blend’s grain-to-starch ratio. Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more.
- Binder – If your gluten-free flour blend does not contain xanthan or guar gum, add 1 teaspoon to your dry ingredients. Read Why Binders are Important in Gluten-Free Baking to learn more.
- Baking Powder – Use aluminum-free to avoid any metallic aftertaste. Be sure your baking powder isn’t expired. Check to make sure your baking powder is gluten free.
- Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter for better cookie flavor.
- Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract and not imitation if possible.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
How to Make Gluten-Free Chai Cookies (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: Add the dry ingredients to a large
Step 2: Soften the butter in a small bowl, then add the remaining wet ingredients. Whisk to blend the ingredients.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix into a nice cookie dough.
Step 4: This is what your cookie dough should look like. If your dough is wetter, add more flour. Each flour blend is a bit different, so you may need to adjust things a little.
👀 Sandi Says: If your cookie dough feels sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time. Gluten-free flour blends absorb moisture differently, and a slightly firmer dough helps the cookies hold their shape. If your dough feels dry, add more butter.
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Step 5: In a small bowl, add the sugar and cinnamon. Mix well.
Step 6: Use a small cookie scoop to scoop up cookie dough. Roll into a ball and then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
Step 7: Use the bottom of a glass to push down the cookie dough balls. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove the cookies from the oven. (Note: if you make larger cookies, you may need more baking time.)
Move the cookies to a cooling rack.
Cookie Baking Tips:
Gluten free cookies are easy to make. For best results, I am sharing some of my best cookie baking tips, but you can also read my gluten free baking tips for more details.
- To measure your gluten free flour, I recommend using the spoon or leveling method to measure flour. When you buy gluten-free flour, it tends to pack down, and it is easy to use too much. To use the spoon method, put the measuring scoop into the flour and fill. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour. To use the leveling method, use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour.
- Use a cooled
cookie sheet when baking. Don’t take a hotcookie sheet and put the batter on it, or I promise the cookies won’t turn out. They start baking immediately, and it messes with their shape. Use a couple of sheets and rotate them out when making large batches of cookies. - Don’t let the cookies sit on the pan too long. After they have baked, only let them sit up to 5 minutes on the baking sheet. The pan will still be hot and continue baking them otherwise.
Read my Gluten-Free Cookie Troubleshooting Guide for more tips on baking homemade gluten-free cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Store these soft gluten-free chai cookies in an airtight container. They will keep fresh for up to 3 days. Gluten-free flour tends to spoil more quickly than regular flour, so store the cookies in the freezer to keep them up to 3 months.
Yes, use your preferred plant-based butter substitute to make these gluten-free chai spice cookies dairy-free. I tested this recipe with Earth Balance plant-based butter.
Yes, you can freeze these cookies easily. Just put room-temperature cookies into a zip-style freezer bag. Lay them flat in the bag, placing a piece of wax paper between the layers of cookies.
More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes:
Try all of my yummy gluten-free cookie recipes. You are sure to find a few new favorites! You may also want to try these Gluten Free Apple Butter Snickerdoodles or these Gluten Free Chocolate Snickerdoodles!
- Gluten Free Toll House Cookies
- Easy Gluten Free Lemon Cookies
- Gluten Free Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
- Gluten Free Butter Pecan Cookies
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten-Free Chai Cookies (Soft, Spiced, and Easy to Make)
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- ½ cup cane sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup unsalted softened butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Be sure to put the rack in the middle of the oven. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the 2 cups gluten free flour blend, ½ cup cane sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice, and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper. (Note: do not put the coating ingredients into the bowl.) Use a wire whisk to blend these all together.
- In a smaller bowl, add the ½ cup unsalted softened butter, 2 large eggs, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Whisk to blend
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix into cookie dough.
- In a small bowl, add the ¼ cup cane sugar and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and mix.
- Use a small or medium cookie scoop to scoop dough into balls. Roll each dough ball into round balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place onto the cookie sheet.
- Repeat until you made all of the cookies. Use the flat bottom of a glass to press down each cookie.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack.
Notes
- I tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure and Bob’s Red Mill 1:1. Other blends will work; just keep an eye on the moisture level of the dough. Some blends are starchier and need more or less liquid.
- If your blend does not have xanthan gum or guar gum, add one teaspoon.
- Store these cookies in an airtight container. They will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
I used Bobs Redmill 1 to 1 and wow! They are fantastic! Since only baking with GF for a short time, I will never go back to traditional flour😊❤️
I am so glad you loved these chai cookies. I really appreciate your coming back to let me know which flour blend you used. I have over 100 cookie recipes to try next (LOL.)
VERY GOOD! Love the chai spice. Used King Arthur 1:1 flour and subbed coconut sugar for a portion of the sugar. Just got a stand mixer so used that for prep. EXCELLENT 🥰
I am so glad you loved these cookies. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know they were a big hit!
These are great the whole family loved them. Making another batch already!
My cookie scoop must be small cause I got about 40 cookies from the recipe. I also needed a stand mixer as the softened butter just didn’t want to whisk by hand.
I am so glad you loved them! Thank you for coming back to let me know!