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Home » Brownies & Bars » Chai Spice Cookie Bars

Chai Spice Cookie Bars

Published: Nov 30, 2016 · Modified: Feb 19, 2021 by Allison · 45 Comments

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Chai Spice Cookie Bars – Soft and flavorful cookie bars filled with the comforting flavors of chai spice and topped with a thick layer of vanilla-chai frosting.

This post was sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill.

Stack of cookie bars topped with frosting and cinnamon sugar.Hello, friends! Today I’m bringing you the coziest dessert ever: Chai Spice Cookie Bars! I vote that we take the next week off work/school/real responsibilities and bake holiday treats non-stop. Who’s with me?!

The chilly weather has me craving all things warm and comforting. I currently have my hands wrapped around a big mug of piping hot chai tea. I’ll wait here while you get yourself a warm beverage. We have holiday baking to discuss!

Cookie dough in a bowl and frosting in a bowl.

This is the month for baking and sharing sweets (I’m so happy I could squeal). Sometime soon you’ll need a recipe for a cookie exchange, a treat for house guests, or a little something to nibble on as you wrap those gifts and finish trimming the tree. This here is the ideal recipe for all your holiday needs. The comforting flavors and warm spices make this the ultimate crowd pleaser.

Cookie bars topped with frosting and cinnamon sugar.

What we have here is a thick and soft chai spiced cookie bar topped with a vanilla-chai spice frosting. Since we’re making bars instead of individual cookies this recipe is quite simple. The cookie dough gets pressed into a pan and then baked. Once cooled, a quick frosting is made and spread across the whole pan of bars.

Cookie bars and a bowl of frosting.

These bars are made extra delicious by the use of Bob’s Red Mill Organic Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour. I can’t speak highly enough of Bob’s Red Mill products, and I am always thrilled to partner with them.

Year round I use a variety of Bob’s Red Mill products (pancake mix, cornmeal, almond flour, muesli, oats, couscous) but, during the holiday season, I always make sure I have a large bag of their all-purpose flour on hand for all my baking needs.

Bob\'s red mill flour.

This is the same high protein flour used by professional bakers. It produces high, well-textured loaves of bread equally as well as it produces light, airy baked goods. It is made from freshly milled organic hard red wheat and it is not enriched with any additives. You will love baking with it!

All that’s left to do is grab these ingredients and get baking. The holidays are calling!

Stack of cookie bars topped with frosting and cinnamon sugar.

You might also like: CHAI SPICE CRUMB CAKE – SNICKERDOODLE BARS – CINNAMON SUGAR COOKIES

Cookie bars topped with frosting and cinnamon sugar.

Chai Spice Cookie Bars

Soft and flavorful cookie bars filled with the comforting flavors of chai spice and topped with a thick layer of vanilla-chai frosting.
4.94 from 15 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 388kcal
Author: Allison - Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

Bars:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
  • 1 ½ cups Bob's Red Mill White All-Purpose Flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 teaspoons chai spice mix, see note

Frosting:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons half and half or cream
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons chai spice mix, see note

Optional topping:

  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar or coarse sugar
  • ½ teaspoon chai spice mix, see note

Instructions

Bars:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9 baking pan. You can also line the baking pan with foil, leaving a couple inches of overhang on two sides (this will allow you to easily lift the whole pan of bars out of the pan). Spray or grease the foil.
  • Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium speed for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Add egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and sour cream and beat until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
  • In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and 4 teaspoons chai spice.
    With the mixer on low, slowly add the the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined (do not over-mix). Spread the dough into an even layer in the prepared pan (it will be thick). Bake for 20-23 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the center no longer jiggles. Be careful not to over bake.  Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Frosting:

  • With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar for 1-2 minutes, until light and creamy. Add half and half, vanilla extract, and 2 teaspoons chai spice. Beat until completely combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Spread the frosting on top of the cooled bars. If desired, combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the frosted bars.

Notes

Chai spice mix: 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1 teaspoon ground allspice, 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, and 3 teaspoons ground ginger. Store leftovers in your spice cabinet.

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 31mg | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 535IU | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Comments

  1. Ashley

    April 18, 2017 at 7:01 pm

    These look and sound amazing!! I love chai but never thought to put it in a dessert!

    xo Ashley

    Reply
  2. Crystal // Dreams, etc.

    April 18, 2017 at 8:42 pm

    I’m going to have to try these out soon! They sound so good!

    Reply
  3. anne @onedeterminedlife

    April 18, 2017 at 8:42 pm

    These look amazing!

    Reply
  4. ellie

    April 19, 2017 at 6:40 am

    Chai Spiced anything is one of my favourite treats so I am stoked to try out this recipe! These look so delicious! perfect for a rainy evening in with Netflix!

    Ellie | http://www.scotchandstilettos.com

    Reply
  5. Meghan

    April 21, 2017 at 7:35 am

    Oh my god I absolutely LOVE cookie bars! Need to try this!

    Reply
  6. Matt

    November 22, 2017 at 2:51 pm

    5 stars
    Have made these two times and I really like them. The chai frosting alone puts a smile on my face. Do not over bake the bars… they will get too dry very quickly. If you can keep the bars moist, these are really yummy.

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      November 22, 2017 at 3:44 pm

      I’m so glad that you liked these, Matt. Yes, overbaking will ruin them. Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  7. Amit Shroff

    May 01, 2018 at 7:57 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing Recipe.

    If you are from India, buy Bobs Red Mill from India.

    Reply
  8. Sean

    April 19, 2020 at 6:06 pm

    Would it be ok to use an 8 x 8 tin? Any changes?

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      April 20, 2020 at 3:48 pm

      You’ll definitely need to increase the bake time, and they’ll be thicker than those pictured. I’d add 5 minutes and then check every few minutes until they’re done. Enjoy!

      Reply
  9. Sean

    April 21, 2020 at 7:04 pm

    How should these be stored and how long do they keep?

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      April 22, 2020 at 2:08 pm

      I find that they’re best within 2 days stored at room temp. You should be able to freeze them if you need them to last longer. Enjoy!

      Reply
  10. Sharon

    November 04, 2020 at 7:50 pm

    Hi, can you make the frosting without adding the cream

    Reply
    • Allison

      November 05, 2020 at 8:47 am

      You’ll need some type of liquid in place of the cream. You can use non-dairy milk, regular milk, or half and half.

      Reply
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aboutHi, I'm Allison! I'm a busy wife and mom with a passion for cooking and baking. This is where you'll find my favorite homemade recipes, designed to help you make every day delicious! Read more....

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