Vegan Chai Spiced Maple Shortbread Cookies

Since Fall is now officially here, I’m in the mood for baking some fall treats! So when I remembered I had an acorn cookie cutter, I thought why not make some autumn themed cookies with it?! So I whipped up a batch of Vegan Maple Chai Shortbread Cookies!

These have a rich and buttery dough that is easy to make. It does require rolling out and cutting if you want the cute shapes, but that’s kind of fun like playing with play dough right? If you wanted to not cut them out and just bake them in a pan, just bake them in a removable bottom tart pan (9 inch) instead of cutting them. Press the dough into it and score in 16 pieces before and after baking with a sharp knife. Bake for about 30 minutes if you are doing it that way instead of cutting them out.

I used warming chai spices in these cookies, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and nutmeg. As well as sweet maple and vanilla and they smelled heavenly while baking! Once they cooled I put a maple vanilla glaze on them for the acorn tops. If you weren’t doing acorns you could just drizzle it over.

These cookies are so delicious with a cup of coffee for a mid morning treat! Sweet with chai spices and maple, buttery melt in your mouth texture they scream fall! If you are in the mood for something delicious definitely make a batch of these Vegan Maple Chai Shortbread Cookies!

Vegan Chai Spiced Maple Shortbread Cookies

Makes 16 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup or 2 sticks Earth Balance or other vegan butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup unbleached granulated sugar
• 3/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla bean powder
• 1 tsp maple extract
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup powdered sugar or as needed
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the butter, sea salt, sugar, until the butter and sugar are well incorporated.
3. Mix in the vanilla and spices and baking powder until well incorporated.
4. Mix in the flour until the flour is incorporated.
5. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment, and roll out to about 1/4 inch thick.  Place on a sheet pan and put in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.  Cut into medium sized cookies (I used an acorn cutter), and use a spatula to transfer them to a parchment lined tray (being careful not to stretch them).  Re-roll any scraps and cut also. 
6. Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes until set.
7. Remove from the oven, and let cool completely.
8. Whisk the maple syrup into the powdered sugar until it is the consistency of white glue (You want it to be spreadable or drizzle-able but not too thin). Add more powdered sugar if it is too thin, or a touch more maple if it is too thick. Pipe over the cookies, and let set (it will set quicker if you set them in the refrigerator).
9. Enjoy!

Shortbread keeps for 1 week at room temperature in an airtight container or 4 months frozen in an airtight container.