Chai Sugar Cookie Bars
These chai sugar cookie bars are SO soft and chewy on the inside and crisp on the outside, topped with a dreamy maple, cream cheese frosting and cinnamon sugar. The best part is there is no chilling, rolling, scooping or cutting, just easy, simple and delicious chewy, chai sugar cookie bars.
Equipment
- 9x9 inch square baking pan
- small palette knife
- Large bowl
Ingredients
- 125 g butter (melted) 1/2 cup
- 200 g caster sugar 1 cup
- 100 g light brown sugar 1/2 cup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or paste
- 2 eggs
- zest of 2 clementine
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 3 cardamom pods - seeds crushed (remove the green outer pods)
- 1/8 tsp black
- 240 g plain flour 2 cups
Maple & Cream Cheese Frosting
- 110 g cream cheese 1/4 cup
- 50 g softened butter 3.5 tbsp
- 50 ml maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
- 130 g icing sugar 1 cup
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 180 celsius / 355 fahrenheit / gas mark 4.
- In a large bowl, add in the sugars, spices, salt and clementine zest and rub together with the pads of your fingers.
- Then, add in the melted butter and mix well.
- Next, crack in the eggs and combine.
- Now, fold in the dry ingredients and stir until fully combined.
- Evenly spread the sugar cookie dough into a lined 9x9 inch square baking pan.
- Bake for 22 - 25 minutes or until the chai cookie bars are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to fully cool on a wire rack.
- Now for the frosting. In a large bowl whip together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
- Then, add in the maple and vanilla and mix well.
- Finally, add in the icing sugar in three parts, whipping the frosting each time, until you have a light, fluffy frosting that isn’t too thick.
- To make the cinnamon sugar, simply mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl.
- Top the chai sugar cookie bars with the maple frosting and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar and cut into 9 large bars or 16 small ones, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use a chopstick - to test when the chai sugar cookie bars are done
- Store the chai sugar cookie bars - in a airtight container or tin, once the frosting has fully set and store at room temperature, they should last for about a week
- Line the baking pan - with parchment paper and you can use metal binder clips on the sides, for a clean look and easy removal
- If you don't like the spices used - use any chai spice mix you’d like
- To cut the chai sugar cookie bars - use a sharp knife for a clean and professional look
- For more chai flavour - you could add the contents of your favourite tea bag to the cookie dough