Description
These brown butter dirty chai cookies blend nutty browned butter, chai spices, espresso, and white chocolate chips for complex flavor and perfect chewy texture.
Ingredients
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- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter
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- 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar, packed
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- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
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- 2 large eggs, room temperature
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- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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- 2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
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- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
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- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
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- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
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- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
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- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
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- 1 teaspoon baking soda
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- 1/2 teaspoon salt
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- 1 1/2 cups (255g) white chocolate chips
Instructions
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue cooking until the butter turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma, about 5 to 7 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool for 15 minutes before using.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled brown butter with both sugars. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined and slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in vanilla extract until smooth.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, espresso powder, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined and no flour streaks remain. Fold in white chocolate chips with a spatula.
Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon portions and place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are set but centers still look slightly underdone. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
Chilling the dough prevents cookies from spreading too thin and enhances flavor development
Underbake slightly for chewier cookies; they’ll continue setting as they cool
Use a cookie scoop for uniform size and even baking
Add a pinch of flaky sea salt on top before baking for a sweet-savory contrast
Double the batch and freeze half the dough for fresh-baked cookies anytime
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg