Cranberry Chai Tea Cookies with an Amazon Gift Card Giveaway for #ChristmasWeek

Cranberry chai blended into a lightly sweet buttery cookie dough. This delectable cookie is tasty with afternoon tea or morning coffee. The Holiday Embrace tea I used in this cookie was given to me by Plum Deluxe without obligation. 

 Follow me | Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook

This is my 4th recipe for #ChristmasWeek. Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Kiss My Smoke gathered a bunch of us together to share a week's worth of holiday sweets and treats. We all chipped in for a massive Amazon Gift Card Giveaway. 

Dare to be different. You do you. I've realized that I aim for non-conformity in my life. I do not like to be 'one of the herd'. I strive to be just a little different, a little outside of the norm. If "everyone" is running to the Next Big Thing you can bet I'll be standing off to the side, watching and evaluating. When the brunch waitress wants to fill my cup with coffee--no thanks, I prefer tea.

When I was thinking about what kinds of recipes to share for #ChristmasWeek I knew I wanted an old family recipe [my Grandma's Scottish Shortbread], a recipe celebrating locally-sourced ingredients [the Maple Doodles], a recipe celebrating seasonal produce [the Fresh Cranberry Mini Scones coming up soon], a no bake treat, and a treat that would be an unusual addition to a cookie plate.

I thought of a tea cookie as I see them around now and again, and it seems like an unusual combination of flavors. I found a recipe for a tea cookie in my local library in the Martha Stewart's Cookies book (Amazon affiliate link) but needed the right tea. Last year when we all gathered here for Christmas my brother and sister-in-law brought me a cone of Christmas blend tea from A. C. Perch's in Copenhagen. I wished I'd had some left to try in a cookie.

By fortuitous coincidence I received an email from Andy at Plum Deluxe offering to send me some samples of tea and describing his business. I responded, describing my desire to share a Christmas tea cookie this week and asking for suggestions. Andy came through. He sent me Holiday Embrace Herbal Tea which I used in these cookies, as well as an Oregon Breakfast Black Blend and this month's selection of the Tea of the Month Club, Grateful Harvest Blend Pu-erh. That last one is very yummy--my son and I shared a nice moment sampling it together, along with these cookies--and that's a rare thing for the mom of a teenager to say.

Shown with the No Bake Magic Cookie Truffles!

This cookie is similar to a shortbread--butter, sugar, flour and tea--with a fruity zing. I based the recipe off the Earl Grey Tea Cookie in the Martha Stewart Cookies book linked above, though I am utterly not cool enough to make a pretty cookie like Martha (rulers and paper towel tubes were involved in her instructions to get the log perfect). You get what I did, and yeah it's not perfect but it does fit nicely in a regular-sized muffin paper which nestles nicely in repurposed gift tins.

Note: I like to break up my kitchen sessions into short bursts. I made the dough one day, chilled it overnight, and sliced/baked it the following day. I also froze the other half of the dough for a later cookie plate. This is easy dough--it will be ready when you are. 

Another Note: my kitchen is cold--mid 50's--in the winter. I move the butter to the warmer dining room (mid to upper 60's) to warm when I am baking though I am careful to keep an eye out for Robert Barker. That's why I say soften your butter at Warm Room Temperature below.

Cranberry Chai Tea Cookies (adapted from Martha Stewart's Earl Grey Tea Cookie recipe)

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons cranberry chai tea (I used Holiday Embrace)
• 8+½ ounces by weight (2 cups) unbleached all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt (I use kosher)
• 2 sticks (8 ounces by weight, 1 cup) unsalted butter at Warm Room temperature
• ½ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. On the day you're going to mix up the dough, finely grind the tea. I did this in the dry blade container of my Vitamix, but if you have a spice grinder or small food processor that would probably work well too. I would not use a mortar and pestle as it would take a long time and the pieces would initially fly all over the place.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the tea, flour, and salt. Set aside.
3. Using a stand mixer with paddle or a hand mixer with a large bowl, beat the butter until light.
4. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes on medium speed.
5. Add the flour mixture in small amounts, mixing until combined.
6. Tear a large square of parchment paper in half and transfer half of the dough onto each piece of parchment.
7. Roll the dough into a log shape, completely enclosed by the parchment. Martha's instructions involve using a ruler to get all the air out and I just don't roll that way, so my cookies are not perfect circles and I'm OK with that.
8. Chill the dough in the fridge overnight. Alternatively you can freeze it for an hour until firm.
9. On the day you're going bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
10. Slice the cookies ¼ inch thick and transfer to the cookie sheet as shown.
11. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets halfway through if you remember, until the edges are golden brown.
12. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheets. The original recipe says these cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 5 days. I just had a 5 day old cookie and it is even better than the fresh ones. Like shortbread, this cookie improves with age. The texture is softer and the flavor is more . . . mellow.

Recipes from Day 4 of Christmas Week! Please visit all our talented participants:

Pistachio Roca from Cravings of a Lunatic
Slow Cooker Eggnog Granola from Cupcakes and Kale Chips
Hot Cocoa Brownies from Crumb: A Food Blog
Coconut Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies from Food Done Light
Cranberry Chai Tea Cookies from Farm Fresh Feasts
Chanukah Gelt Cookies from Mother Would Know
Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies from Food Lust People Love
Rocky Road Fudge by My Catholic Kitchen
Best Sugar Cookies from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Salted Caramel Chocolate Thumbprints from Mind Over Batter
Gingerbread Chocolate Sandwich Cookies from Lauren Kelly Nutrition
Habanero Orange Marmalade from Everyday Southwest
Upside Down Sticky Apple Pie from From Gate to Plate
Homemade Instant Hot Cocoa Mix from Flour on my Face
Chocolate Raspberry Walnut Rugelach from The Little Ferraro Kitchen
S'mores Hot Chocolate from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

The winners of the giveaway are:

$500 Gift Card-> Ruth Deaton (her entry was via Kate of Food Babbles, Pinterest Follow)

$250 Gift Card-> Jeanna Schirm Massman (her entry was via Christie of Food Done Light, Pinterest Follow)
$50 Gift Card-> Michele Behlen (her entry was via Stephanie of Daily Appetite, Pinterest Follow)

Congratulations!

Are you looking for recipes using seasonal produce from the farm share, the farmer's market, or your neighbor's prolific garden? Check out my Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me wondering what to do with Swiss chard, beets, and that case of oranges from the band fruit fundraiser. Follow me on Pinterest, on Instagram, and on my FB page for even more recipe ideas and behind the scenes snapshots. Want to know How to Use This Blog? Thanks for stopping by!