As a regular reader of this blog you will know I have a sweet tooth. A sweet little something every now and again, quite simply, as far as I am concerned at least, adds to the enjoyment of life.
But when it comes to choosing something sweet to eat, despite appearances to the contrary, I am selective. If I’m going to indulge it has to be good. It has to be worth the calories. And usually my preference is for cakes, a few squares of dark chocolate or a decadent dessert. Cookies rarely get a look in, especially shortbread, as there are so many things I’d rather eat instead.
Shortbread is something I grew up with, unsurprising when you consider my Scottish heritage, but the shortbread I grew up with was always plain shortbread. Sweet and buttery, but in my mind boring.
However the addition of a small amount of ground chai tea leaves makes all the difference taking these Chai Shortbread Cookies, from boring and uninteresting (to me) to a cookie that is suddenly so much more interesting, not to mention fragrant. These tea cookies are totally addictive, something I’d never thought I’d say about shortbread, but it might help explain why these chai cookies have been rapidly disappearing!
Chai Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain flour all purpose
- 3 tbs loose leaf chai tea leaves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup icing sugar confectioners'
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 230 g butter room temperature, 2 sticks
Instructions
- Add the flour and tea leaves to a food processorand process until the tea is ground and spotted throughout the flour. Add the salt, icing sugar, vanilla extract and butter and pulse until a dough forms. Remove from the food processor and roll into a log of roughly 6cm (2 1/2 inches) in diameter and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 190 celsius (375 Fahrenheit) and line a baking tray with baking paper. Slice the dough into 24 cookies and bake for 12 minutes or until the edges begin to golden. Cool on the baking tray before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
