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These thick and soft Pumpkin Chai Cookies are amped up with homemade chai spice and dipped in the most creamy vanilla bean glaze. They’re quick, easy, and best of all, there’s no chilling the cookie dough.
Pair your cookies with my Marshmallow Pumpkin Milkshake or a frozen Apple Cider Slushie!
When I say these are the BEST pumpkin cookies out there, I’m not kidding. With the added chai spice and they’re creamy vanilla bean glaze, the flavor profile on these is unbelievable. I was actually inspired by the pumpkin chai latte at Starbucks, have you had it before?
What we love about this recipe is they take about 45 minutes to make and you get 24 cookies. This makes them perfect for the holidays, gifting to your friends and neighbors, or freezing so you can enjoy them all fall long. I guarantee if you do share them everyone will be asking “where did you get this recipe?”
If you really love pumpkin try my Pumpkin Pie Dip, 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins, or this Maple Pumpkin Fruit Dip. I also have a Pumpkin Pasta Bake with sage and Italian sausage that is to die for. We look forward to it every fall.
Pumpkin Chai Cookies Ingredients
Here’s everything you need to make these cookies and a few important notes, so keep on reading!
- All-Purpose Flour: You’ll want to measure it using the spoon and level method. This ensures you have the perfect amount of flour so your cookies turn out tender and soft.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda
- Chai Spice: We will make this homemade with a blend of ground spices like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves. You can also use pre-made chai spice if it’s better for you.
- Salt
- Unsalted Butter: Cut it into chunks and allow it to come to room temperature before mixing up your dough. If you prefer salted butter, just omit any added salt so your cookies aren’t overly salty.
- Sugars: We’re using both granulated sugar and light brown sugar.
- Pumpkin Puree: Do not mistake this for pumpkin pie filling, you want 100% organic pumpkin.
- Egg: Brought to room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract
- Vanilla Bean Glaze: This is just a combination of powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar), heavy whipping cream, and vanilla bean.
How to Make Pumpkin Chai Cookies
These cookies are surprisingly easy to make, despite how beautiful they look. Here’s a quick summary of the steps as well as helpful images to accompany the instructions.
1. Combine the cookie dough. Cream together the butter and brown sugars, then the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract. Fold in the dry ingredients and scoop small dollops of cookie dough onto a baking sheet.
2. Bake the cookies until their tops slightly spring back to the touch. Remove your cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
3. Whip up the vanilla bean glaze by combining the powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla bean. Dip or spoon the glaze over top of the cookies and allow the icing to harden before serving.
Find the complete recipe instructions with measurements below.
Storing and Freezing Information
The best way to store your Pumpkin Chai Cookies is in a single layer and in an airtight container, not a plastic bag. This keeps the cookies from sticking to each other. At room temperature they are best within 2 days, and in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
You can also freeze these cookies for up to 3 months and have a sweet treat any time you want. For the best results, you’ll want to freeze them on a cookie sheet and in a single layer before placing them into a container or freezer-safe bag.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
More Fall Inspired Dessert Recipes To Try
When I think of fall apple, caramel, pumpkin, cinnamon, pecans, and butterscotch come to mind. Here are some dessert recipes that were made for fall, just like these Pumpkin Chai Cookies.
Pumpkin Chai Cookies
INGREDIENTS
Homemade Chai Spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
Pumpkin Chai Cookies
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour - measured using the spoon and level method
- ½ tablespoon chai spice - as prepared above or store-bought
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter - softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 ¼ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg - room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Bean Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar - confectioner's sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 vanilla bean
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, chai spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract. Continue mixing until smooth.
- Pour the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients. Mix on low just until all the flour has absorbed and the dough is thick and sticky. Scoop 1 ½ tablespoon sized portions and place them onto the baking sheets (keeping them 2 to 3 inches apart).
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges have set and the centers are not wet and sticky to the touch. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a baking rack to cool completely.
- In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, and the vanilla beans. Carefully dip the top of each cookie into the glaze and place on a baking rack to harden.
RECIPE NOTES
- If your pumpkin puree has a lot of moisture, gently blot with paper towels to soak up some of the moisture.
- Information for making these cookies ahead of time. I recommend baking the cookies no more than 3 days in advance and glazing them the same day you plan on serving them. Keep in mind the icing will need a few hours to harden, so doing it in the morning is best.
STORING INFORMATION
- Room temperature, in an airtight container and in a single layer, for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerated, in an airtight container and in a single layer, for up to 7 days.
- Frozen, in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 3 months. Freeze the cookies on a baking sheet and in a single layer prior to recommended storing information.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
I made them gluten and dairy free with King Arthur 1:1 flour and So Delicious coconut milk in place of the heavy whipping cream. These are officially on my holiday cookie rotation! They don’t even really need the glaze, but it’s a nice touch of sweetness.
Giving this a 5* because the flavor is amazing! Although, I added 1/2 tbsp of pumpkin pie spice (pre-made at Walmart), the cookies turned out to be really strong in the spice flavor, leaving a strong bitter aftertaste. I’m not sure what happened, even though I followed the recipe exactly.
I made these cookies in a traditional cob oven I made! I wasn’t sure how they would bake as it was one of my 1st times using it, but lo and behold….they came out perfectly! I LOVE these cookies and everyone I shared them with loved them too! Thank you for sharing your recipe, Elizabeth!