Happy Friday! While fall is winding down, I’m still savoring the last bits of pumpkin, warm spices, and my new favorite drink pumpkin spice chai lattes. And so, this week I made these Pumpkin Chai Mickey Cookies! These cookies are the perfect blend of pumpkin and chai spices and are drizzled with a vanilla bean glaze!
With the start of fall, Pumpkin Spice Lattes become prevalent. I’m not a coffee drinker so I’ve never actually had one, but I’ve always loved tea (especially chai lattes). When I learned you could make a Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte at Starbucks, I was immediately intrigued. I love chai’s sweet and spicy flavor and felt pumpkin would be a delicious addition. After trying it in September, it quickly became my favorite fall drink and the inspiration for these cookies.
These light and almost cake like cookies have a pumpkin spice cookie base, are rolled in a chai spiced sugar, and are topped with a vanilla glaze. It’s the perfect blend of sweet and spicy, just like my favorite chai lattes.
To make these cookies, start by preparing the chai spiced sugar. Having it ready to go will make everything a little faster and easier when you start making the cookie dough balls. Combine the granulated sugar and all of the spices in a small bowl. Make sure you have enough room in the bowl to roll tablespoon sized dough balls. Set the sugar aside.
Next, prepare the cookie dough by combining the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, and then add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla and beat until combined. Gradually add in the flour mixture, beating on low speed until just combined.
Scoop out 12 dough balls using a cookie scoop or tablespoon measure. Roll the balls in the Chai Spiced Sugar and place onto parchment lined baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Scoop out another 12 dough balls, but separate each ball into two before rolling them each in the Chai Spiced Sugar. Place two of the smaller dough balls onto the baking sheet at the top of a larger dough ball to make Mickey ears. Gently press them together so they adhere together when baked. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
Place the baking sheets with the prepared Mickey shaped cookies into the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking. Bake the cookies at 375 F for 10-12 minutes, or until just set. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets.
While the cookies are cooling, make the vanilla bean glaze. For the glaze, I used vanilla paste since it’s a little easier to use than a full vanilla bean. If you don’t have vanilla beans or vanilla paste, you can substitute vanilla extract. Combine the powdered sugar, vanilla paste, and milk in a small bowl. Whisk the mixture until it’s smooth and has a consistency that is easy to drizzle. Once the cookies have filly cooled, use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the tops of all the cookies.
Enjoy these Pumpkin Chai Mickey Cookies and the last few weeks of fall!
Pumpkin Chai Mickey Cookies
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chai Spiced Sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Vanilla Bean Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
Instructions
Chai Spiced Sugar
-
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cardamom, and cloves. Set aside.
Pumpkin Spice Cookies
-
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
-
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
-
In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
-
Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla and beat until combined.
-
Gradually add in the flour mixture, beating on low speed until just combined.
-
Scoop out 12 dough balls using a cookie scoop or tablespoon measure. Roll the balls in the Chai Spiced Sugar and place onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
-
Scoop out another 12 dough balls, but separate each ball into two before rolling them each in the Chai Spiced Sugar. Place two of the smaller dough balls onto the baking sheet at the top of a larger dough ball to make Mickey ears. Gently press them together so they adhere together when baked. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
-
Place the baking sheets with the prepared Mickey shaped cookies into the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking.
-
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets.
Vanilla Bean Glaze
-
Place the powdered sugar into a small bowl.
-
Stir the vanilla bean paste into the milk and add to the powdered sugar.
-
Whisk the mixture until it’s smooth.
-
Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the top of each cookie.
-
Let the glaze set for a couple minutes before serving.