These Chai Chocolate Dipped Christmas Cookies Make the Perfect Christmas Gift

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• Masala Chai Leaves from 3 - 4 bags of tea (about 1 1/2 tbsp)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 3/4 tsp dried ginger
• Zest of 1 orange
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• for dipping and decorating - melted dark chocolate and sprinkles

Instructions

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 
2. In a stand mixer, add the softened butter and granulated sugar. Beat together until light in color. Add the eggs, vanilla, and all of the zest and spices and mix together until combined.
3. Add the Chai leaves from the tea bags into a spice grinder and blitz until the leaves are finely ground. Add to the mixer and combine with the rest of the mixture.
4. Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time to the mixer, waiting until the flour has been incorporated by the mixer into the butter mixture each time before adding the next 1/2 cup of flour. *Tip - scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through to make sure all of the flour is incorporated.
5. Once the dough has come together, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and use your hands to work the dough together into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit in the fridge for about 15 - 20 minutes.
6. Remove dough from fridge and roll out to a 1/4" thickness and use cookie cutters of your choice. Place the cookies onto the baking sheets.
7. Bake for about 12 minutes, then remove from oven. Watch that the edges don't get too golden, the middle of the cookies shouldn't take much color. Place cookies on a cooling rack after baking and allow to cool entirely before dipping into chocolate.
8. Melt dark chocolate in a microwave bowl or double boiler (depending on your preference), and dip cookies into the chocolate, placing on a parchment lined plate or tray. Add sprinkles of your choice onto the cookies while chocolate is still melted. Let the chocolate cool and set.
9. Enjoy!