Chai Shortbread Cookie Sandwiches (Printable)

Buttery chai-spiced shortbread cookies with creamy filling, perfect for afternoon tea

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Shortbread Cookies

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
03 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
06 - 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
07 - 1/2 tsp ground ginger
08 - 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
09 - 1/4 tsp ground cloves
10 - 1/4 tsp ground allspice
11 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

→ For the Chai-Spiced Filling

12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
13 - 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
15 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
16 - 1/4 tsp ground ginger
17 - 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
18 - 1/8 tsp ground cloves
19 - 1-2 tsp milk as needed for consistency

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, allspice, and black pepper until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract until incorporated.
04 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined and a soft dough forms.
05 - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out rounds using a 2-inch round cookie cutter and arrange on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.
06 - Bake for 12-15 minutes until edges are just beginning to turn golden. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
07 - Beat the butter until creamy and smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until fluffy. Mix in vanilla extract and spices. Add milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until a thick but spreadable consistency is achieved.
08 - Spread or pipe 1-2 teaspoons of filling onto the flat side of one cookie. Gently press another cookie on top to form a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The filling is incredibly forgiving and spreads like silk even after a week in the fridge
  • These cookies actually improve overnight as the spices bloom into the butter
  • They manage to feel fancy enough for gifting but simple enough for a random Tuesday
02 -
  • Overworking the dough during mixing creates tough cookies so stop as soon as the flour disappears
  • The filling looks too thick at first but resist adding extra milk or it will squish out when you sandwich them
  • These actually taste better on day two when the spices have had time to settle into the butter
03 -
  • Freeze the rolled out dough on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before cutting to get cleaner edges
  • If your kitchen is warm chill the filling for 15 minutes before piping so it holds its shape better

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