Melvin Ventura / Daily Nexus

We all have traditional Christmas recipes that we love to make, but have you ever thought about making recipes curated by your favorite celebrities? This December, I decided that the best way to get into the holiday spirit is by testing out some celebrity Christmas recipes. As a huge Swiftie, I figured it would be appropriate for me to kick off this series with Taylor Swift’s chai tea eggnog sugar cookies. Taylor originally published the recipe in a 2015 Tumblr post, but you can also find the recipe in Seventeen Magazine. The recipe for the base of Swift’s cookies was adapted from JoytheBaker.com. Swift put her own spin on Joy’s famous sugar cookies by adding a chai tea packet. 

Prior to this attempt, I must admit that I was quite skeptical about the chai tea and eggnog combination, but Swift knew exactly what she was doing by combining these two. The flavor of these cookies perfectly encapsulates what the holiday season and Taylor Swift are all about. They have that classic sugar cookie-vanilla flavor that you could never go wrong with, but the spice from the cinnamon, chai and nutmeg adds so much complexity to it. The texture of these cookies is also perfect if you’re a fan of really soft cookies. They’re really similar to the frosted sugar cookies that you can find at grocery stores but so much lighter. The icing that goes on top perfectly compliments the base: It’s not overly sweet and it does not overpower the cookie. Not to mention, the icing-to-cookie ratio is perfect. 

The recipe for these cookies is a standard cookie recipe, but I do have a few tips to ensure that these cookies come out the way I imagine Swift envisioned them. First, the dough is going to be really soft and runny, so chilling it until it is firm is really important. Another thing that I would suggest is to sift the flour and the powdered sugar to avoid any lumps in the dough or the icing and to make mixing easier. Lastly, in terms of the icing, I found that 1 tablespoon of eggnog was not enough to get the desired consistency. Instead, 3-4  tablespoons was the amount that gave me the best consistency. You don’t want the icing to be too thick as the cookies are really delicate, so a thin icing that you can gently spoon over would be best.

The warm, complex flavor of these cookies makes them the perfect cookie for any winter occasion. They would definitely stand out at any Christmas party and can even make for a suitable gift for your friends, especially if they’re also Swifites. These are the cookies that you will want to make for those cozy winter nights with your loved ones while you watch a Christmas movie by the fireplace in your cute Christmas pajamas. I’m sure that’s how Taylor would spend her nights making them. 

Ingredients: 

Chai Tea Sugar Cookies

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 chai tea packet

Eggnog Icing 

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon eggnog

Directions: 

  1. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to mix the softened butter. Gradually add in the sugars and the vegetable oil and continue beating until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Add in the egg and the vanilla extract and beat until the mixture is fully incorporated. Lastly, mix in the contents of one chai tea packet. 
  2. Gradually sift in the flour, baking soda and salt. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the dry ingredients. Continue to mix until just combined. 
  3. Chill the sugar cookie dough for at least 1 hour, or for 15 minutes in the freezer. While waiting for the cookies to chill, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and use a 1-inch cookie scoop to scoop out the chilled dough. Place the dough on the cookie sheet and use your fingers or the back of a spoon to press on it to ¼-inch thickness. 
  4. Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. 
  5. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the powdered sugar, eggnog, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk until the ingredients fully combine to make an icing. If the mixture is too thick, add a couple more tablespoons of eggnog until the desired consistency is reached. 
  6. When finished baking, let the cookies cool for 10-15 minutes. 
  7. Take a spoonful of the icing and spread it over the cookies. Be sure to be gentle as the cookies will be soft and delicate. 
  8. Sprinkle a dollop of cinnamon over the cookies. 

Honestly, what can Taylor Swift not do? She can sing, write and now I’ve discovered that she can create some amazing cookies as well. These cookies are the ultimate Christmas cookie. They’re simple, elegant, pretty and have a really unique warm, Christmas-y flavor. Make them with your fellow Swiftie friends while streaming your favorite album by Swift for the perfect Christmas-time dessert.

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