Chai Spice Girls

I have to admit I chose these cookies because of the name. I really like cute names. To me the battle is half won if you can come up with a name that make people sit up and notice, like I discussed in an earlier post. These sassy ladies hail from the Better Homes and Gardens website, which is packed with many wonderful cookies. I had a great time browsing the site for candidates for my 2010 Christmas Cookie List, which is, to be honest, my favourite part of the whole exercise. So many great recipes to audition, it's a shame Christmas comes only once a year.

But what's in a name? Well, in this case, it's pretty self-explanatory, really. Little girl-shaped cookies flavoured with chai tea and some other spices. We happen to have chai tea bags, because we bought some chamomile tea which turned out to be spiced chai tea when we opened the box. Which is like having a blind date with Mary, but when you meet up with her she's really called Delilah.

As you can see from the photos, I don't have a girl-shaped cookie cutter, but I decided my boy-shaped ones could be dressed up to look like girls. A bit like Tim Curry in Rocky Horror Picture Show. But also like Tim Curry, I don't think they're fooling anybody. It's my non-existing icing skills, you see, paired with the smaller cookie cutter I used to get more cookies. Like yesterday, I only dressed one for the photos, because I want to freeze them naked, so to speak. I might need to turn them into proper guys, so I'm not required to pull of little icing sugar tutu's, but that will be a shame. "Chai spice boys" just doesn't have the same ring to it. But, like they say, a cookie by any other name...

Chai Spice Girls
Recipe from here


2 spiced chai-flavored tea bags
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (I used mixed spice)
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons molasses (I used treacle)

1 recipe Powdered Sugar Icing

Remove tea bag contents (3 teaspoons); discard bags. In medium bowl combine tea, flour, and spice; set aside.

In large mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and molasses. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can; stir in remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and refrigerate about 3 hours or until easy to handle.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. On lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time until 1/2cm thickness. Cut dough with gingerbread girl cutters.

Bake 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool completely. Decorate with Powdered Sugar Icing. Makes 18 to 20 cookies.

Powdered Sugar Icing: In medium bowl combine 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 4 teaspoons milk. Stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until piping consistency.

To Store: Layer cookies between waxed paper is covered airtight container. Store at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.