When thinking of fall items, pumpkins and hot drinks always come to mind. With the chilly winter around the corner, one must enjoy the last moments of fall. I love to bake, and my pumpkin chai cookies are my personal favorite for a late fall baked good. I was inspired by Starbuck’s new chai pumpkin latte, which has been all over social media this autumn. This specific combination contains the ultimate fall flavors.

Even though Halloween is over, that does not mean pumpkin desserts have to end. These treats are perfect for a rainy day at home or even a Thanksgiving dessert.

This recipe can also be whipped up rather quickly — it only takes about an hour to prepare and bake. The required ingredients can be found in most households, especially during Thanksgiving time. If one does not have the ingredients, they can easily be found at a local grocery store.
Baking these cookies is an enjoyable activity which results in a tasty treat, with the cookies being very dense and rich. Clearly, these transformed fall classics are perfect for any autumn day.

Recipe:

It makes about 24 cookies!

Dough:

Dry ingredients

– 5 cups of flour

– 1 ½  cup of sugar

– 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder

– ¼ cup of brown sugar

– 1 tablespoon of cinnamon

½ teaspoon of salt

2  teaspoons of ginger

Wet ingredients

– 2 eggs

– 1 cup of pumpkin puree

– ½ cup of cream cheese

– ⅓ cup of butter

Chai frosting:

– 3 cups of  powdered sugar

– 4 tablespoons of milk (any)

– 3 tablespoons of chai concentrate

– 1 teaspoon of vanilla

– 2 teaspoons of cinnamon (or more if desired)

Steps

1. Set the oven to 350 F.
2. Add all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl
3. Pour all the wet ingredients directly into the dry ingredients
4. Then, mix until it’s a dough, add flour if better consistency is needed (preferably use an electric mixer!)
5. Put the dough onto a flat surface covered with flour and knead. Separate the dough into flattened circles and put on a buttered tray
6. Put the tray into the oven and wait 11 minutes until completely baked (it really depends on how fast your oven heats up)
7. While waiting,  add three cups of powdered sugar to a smaller bowl
8. Add the milk, chai concentrate, and vanilla extract (for the chai concentrate, I recommend Taizo or Trader’s Joes’ brand
9. Mix with an electric mixer very fast, until an almost liquid consistency forms
10. Add cinnamon to the icing to your liking
11. Take out the cookies and cool them for about 15 minutes
12. Drizzle the icing onto the cookies and stick them in the fridge to chill. I would wait for about 15-30 minutes until taking them out for the frosting to harden
13. It’s done! When serving, share with friends, and definitely watch Gilmore Girls to set the fall mood!