Masala Chai Tea Cookies

By dette

Flavored with chai tea and lemon these are really tasty cookies for a tea party. Chai, from India, is not a particular tea but a black tea blended with various spices, most prominently black pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon. Vary the tea to change the flavor. Grind the tea leaves in a spice grinder.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tblsp finely bround chai-spiced tea
• 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tblsp grated lemon zest
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Details

Servings 30
Preparation time 40mins
Cooking time 52mins

Preparation

Step 1

Combine the flour, salt, and ground tea in a bowl, set aside.
Beat the buter and confectioners' sugar until blended. Beat in the egg and lemon zest.
Gradually add the flour mixture until well blended. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325 degreese. Butter 2 cookies sheets.
Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thick, and cut wtih cookie cutters. Place on the cookie sheets 1 1/2 inches aprt. Brush with the egg white.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a rack to cool.

VARIATIONS:
Earl Grey Tea Cake Cookies: Replace the chai-spiced tea with finely ground Earl Grey tea. Replace the lemon zest with orange zest.
Green Tea Cake Cookies: Matcha powder is a green tea powder added to flavor baked goods in Japan. It can be found in Asian groceries. Replace the chai-spiced tea with 1 1/2 tbsp matcha powder.