Chai Tree and Snowflake Cookies

Steps to make

1. 1

   Mix dry ingredients together

   3 min
   

   Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom and ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper together in a large bowl.

2. 2

   Cream sugar and butter

   5 min
   

   In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

4. 3

   Mix dry and wet ingredients

   5 min
   

   Turn the mixer speed down to low. Add the flour mixture gradually and mix until just incorporated.

5. 4

   Chill dough

   35 min
   

   Divide the dough into 2. Shape into disks and roll each between 2 sheets of waxed paper until it is ⅛ inches thick. Chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator until firm.

6. 5

   Heat the oven and prepare baking sheets

   10 min
   

   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2-3 baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.

7. 6

   Cut out cookies

   10 min
   

   Cut out the cookies using floured tree and snowflake cutters. Place the cookies on the prepared sheets. Repeat until you have used up all the scraps of dough.

8. 7

   Bake

   12 min
   

   Place on a baking sheet in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the edges of the cookies are light golden brown.

9. 8

   Cool

   15 min
   

   Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

10. 9

    Decorate the cookies

    10 min
    

    Using royal icing in a piping bag, pipe some decorations on the cookies and sprinkle with cinnamon.

11. 10

    Serve

    

    Allow the icing to set, then serve with hot mugs of chai!