Freshly Dafna

chai

Healthy Chai Spiced Snickerdoodles (paleo-ish & nut-free)

by Leave a Comment

Happy Friday! As I was planning out my content for November, I realized that almost every other recipe idea was a new cookie. So, being the contemplative, dessert-obsessed person that I am, I gave this a lot of thought. And I came to the realization, that, to me at least, cookies are the perfect dessert. They are super easy to make – require minimal prep and clean up, almost always delicious, super portable, keep very well, AND they are intended to be eaten with your hands so extra dishes are not really required in order to consume them. I mean, what could be a more perfect sweet situation than that?! These Healthy Chai Spiced Snickerdoodles are the newest edition to my mounting cookie recipe collection, and I must say, they might just be the coziest to date. Packed with all the spices you’d expect in a good chai blend (basically all the soothing, warming spices), these cookies are as deliciously comforting as a frothy chai latte, but in cookie form! Which, going back to my argument above, is the best form anything could possibly take.

What Do These Cookies Taste Like?

These Healthy Chai Spiced Snickerdoodles are like a classic snickerdoodle in appearance and texture; crispy edges with a soft and chewy center and rolled in a simple cinnamon sugar mixture to give the crust a little extra oomph in texture. The dough, however, is spiked with a healthy dose of all the spices that make a good chai blend, with the likes of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, and cloves which really impart the flavor of chai in the cookie. All these warming spices, in concert with the inviting cookie texture, will make you feel like you’re biting into a mug of well spiced chai sitting by a toasty fire in your favorite fuzzy socks. Yep, if there ever was a cookie made of pure cozy vibes, these Chai Snickerdoodles are it.

How Are These Cookies Made?

I’m not about a crazy cookie process, I feel like it takes away from the simple, unpretentious beauty of the cookie. Cookie baking should be uncomplicated, and these are just that. They whip up in just one bowl, and while the ingredient list may look a bit lengthy, it’s mostly spices, the cookie dough is made with just 8 main ingredients. I do recommend chilling the dough for a bit before baking, but a quick trip to the freezer while you heat the oven should be enough time if you’re in a hurry. Here’s a look at the steps:

  1. Combine the wet ingredients together until they are light and fluffy. I always use my stand mixer, but these can easily be mixed by hand.
  2. Add the dry ingredients and stir until everything is just well combined. Make sure not to overmix. I find it’s best to scrape down the sides of the bowl once between mixing to ensure an even distribution of the ingredients without over-stirring the dough.
  3. Chill the dough. Ideally the dough would be chilled for two hours in the fridge. However, you can definitely get away with chilling the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes while you prepare the baking sheet, sugar coating, and heat the oven.
  4. Scoop the dough into balls once it’s chilled. I always use my cookie scoop to easily make even balls of dough.
  5. Roll the dough in a simple cinnamon sugar mixture. Place the dough balls on the baking sheet at least 1 inch apart.
  6. Bake for 9-11 minutes. I like these cookies best when baked for 9 minutes, they are soft with a very moist center and just crisp edged. Bake for longer if you like a firmer cookie.
  7. Let cool on baking sheet for just 3 minutes to let firm up a bit, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  8. Enjoy that cookie goodness!

These can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Then transfer to the freezer for longer storage. And, as with most baked treats, I enjoy these best eaten straight out of the freezer. Or warmed up a bit in a toaster oven/microwave. Really, they are amazing at any temperature.

What Ingredient Do I Need?

These healthified cookies are made better-for-you by using simple, real ingredients. They are made with no refined flours or oil. They are paleo(ish) as they contain no grain, gluten, or dairy. I say “paleo(ish)” because I use organic cane sugar instead of my usual coconut sugar. These can easily be made with refined sugar free by replacing the cane sugar with coconut sugar in both the dough and the cinnamon sugar coating.

Here’s a quick rundown of the ingredients:

Cassava Flour & Tapioca Flour – These form the base flours for these cookies and I find that it’s the closest to using a traditional white flour without having to use processed or refined ingredient. Which also makes these gluten and grain free. I recently discovered that Amazon has the best pricing for cassava flour, compared to the health food stores near me and, surprisingly, Thrive Market. And I use Bob’s Red Mill for the tapioca flour.

Avocado Oil & Tahini- I love this combination of fats for cookies and cookie bars. The tahini adds the perfect amount of dense chewiness to the baked goods while the avocado oil adds additional moisture without making them feel heavy. Both of these ingredients are incredibly neutral so do not distract from the flavors of the bars. Feel free to sub olive oil or melted and cooled coconut oil for the avocado oil. And sub tahini with any other single ingredient (no added oils and sugars), thin, and drippy nut/seed butter. Some good options are sunflower seed butter or natural almond butter. Always be sure to stir the nut/seed butter well in the container before measuring and do not use the compacted paste-y bottom part.

Cane Sugar – I used an organic cane sugar from Whole Foods (but this brand is also great) instead of my usual coconut sugar, to give these more of that authentic snickerdoodle flavor and appearance. You can easily replace the cane sugar with coconut sugar if you want to keep these strictly paleo and refined sugar free.

Spices – As these cookies are all about the spices, I highly recommend using good quality spices for these. My brand of choice for most spices is Frontier Co-op. I find their spices are of good quality and conscientiously sourced. This is the perfect time of year to go through your spice drawer and ditch any that are no longer good! I always ignore the use by date and go with the sniff test. Open each container and if the spice has little to no odor, it’s past its prime and time to replace!

These cookies are the perfect delicious and uncomplicated treat that brings all the comfort without any drama. And while being made with simple, real ingredients they are a dessert you can feel good about enjoying! These Chai Snickerdoodles are really wonderful for fall, but I think, these would be great anytime of year when you need a little hug delivered in delicious cookie form, because that might be the best way to describe these sweet little treats.

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), refined sugar free option, nut-free, vegan possible

Print

Healthy Chai Spiced Snickerdoodles

The delicious texture of a snickerdoodle but spiced with all the cozy warming spices found in a good chai blend. Crispy edges with a soft and chewy center and rolled cinnamon sugar coating. Made with only 8 main ingredients and in one bowl!

paleo-ish (gluten/grain/dairy free), nut free, vegan-option, refined sugar free possible

Servings 12 cookies

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup cane sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup tahini, well stirred before measuring sub other thin nut/seed butter of choice
  • 1/4 cup avocado oil sub coconut oil (melted and cooled)
  • 1 egg sub egg replacer or flax egg if vegan
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Dry Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup cassava flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/4 cup tapioca flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp cardamom
  • pinch cloves
  • dash black pepper (optional)

Cinnamon Sugar Dusting

  • 1 tbsp cane sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl if mixing by hand, whisk together the wet ingredients until thick and fluffy.

  2. Add in the dry ingredients and stir until just fully incorporated, ensuring not to overmix, and scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

  3. Chill the dough in the fridge ideally for two hours (and up to overnight) or chill in the freezer for 15 minutes if short on time.

  4. Near the end of the chilling time, heat oven to 360 (yes, 360) degrees and prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper or a silpat. In a small bowl mix together the Cinnamon Sugar Dusting ingredients.

  5. Once dough has chilled, scoop out balls of dough, I used a 50 mm scoop (about 3 tbsp), and roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place the dough balls at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

  6. Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are puffed, centers have set, and slightly golden brown around the edges. I find 10 minutes to be the perfect length of time for cookies with crisp edges and soft chewy centers. Bake for 9 minutes if you like a softer cookie, 11 minutes if you like a firmer cookie.

  7. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for at least 3 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

  8. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 day. Then move to freezer for longer storage!

Recipe Notes

Kitchen Tools (affiliate links): Cookie scoop , silicon baking mat, silicon spatula

Nut/Seed Butter Notes: For best results, before adding the tahini, make sure to mix it well in the jar before measuring. The tahini should be thin and drippy. Do not use the compacted paste at the bottom of the jar. My favorite tahini for baking is the 365 brand from Whole Foods.

Subs/Variations:
Tahini - Use any other nut/seed butter that is thin and like a natural almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter that has a good amount of oil at the top. 

Cane Sugar Vs. Coconut Sugar - Easily sub the cane sugar for coconut sugar to make these strictly paleo and refined sugar free. 

If you make this recipe, share your experience with others by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

Freshly Dafna is now on Pinterest! Save all your favorite recipes by pinning this image!

This post may contain affiliate links. Any product I choose to include is one that I’m currently using and loving. If you do choose to purchase these products, I may earn a commission, which helps support my site and the free content I provide.

Chai Spice Baked Donuts (paleo & nut free)

by 1 Comment

It’s Finally the First Day of Fall Recipe! 
It’s finally the first day of fall and to celebrate this season change, although I was very tempted, I am sharing with you a non-pumpkin/non-pumpkin spice latte related recipe *gasp*. Truthfully, I was planning on posting a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe to celebrate this first day into autumn, but as the end of summer progressed I felt like Instagram became one big blur of other bloggers similar thoughts. I just couldn’t bring myself to add another cookie recipe to the pumpkin heap that is fall. And I’m glad I changed my plans because I’m extremely excited to share a recipe inspired by one of my favorite fall flavors, these Chai Spice Baked Donuts!
These donuts took a little extra time to perfect but I am so proud of the delicious results. They are baked so they do not feel heavy or overindulgent and still have an incredibly light and fluffy texture you hope for in a donut. They are moist but airy and perfectly spiced with all the warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger that are true to a traditional chai tea blend. Once baked, they are coated in a touch of coconut oil (but ghee would also be amazing) and rolled in a chai-inspired dusting; a deliciously addicting blend of coconut sugar, cinnamon, and powdered ginger. These donuts are basically like a churro and a healthy baked donut had a chai-flavored love child that will make you want to pull out all the cozy blankets, fuzzy socks, and eat alongside your favorite morning brew, be that coffee of tea. Yep, these are basically straight up cozy vibes. These donuts are incredibly easy to make and although the recipe list may seem long, don’t let that deter you! The seemingly long ingredient list is mostly just spices, the batter is actually made with only 8 main ingredients. To make the batter we just mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, stir the wet ingredients into the dry, and blend until a smooth batter forms. Then transfer to your donut mold and bake for less than 20 minutes! Once they are cool enough to handle they are kissed with a touch of oil. This can be done by either dunking in a bowl of melted coconut oil or ghee or brushing the exterior of the donut with a pastry brush. Surprisingly, I prefer the brushing method, typically I’d go to great lengths to avoid making an extra dirty dish, I found that brushing was a touch less messy and ensured a more even coverage of oil. Plus, ever since I purchased this machine safe pastry brush, I don’t think twice about busting it out. After the oil, the donuts are dunked in the coconut sugar dusting and that’s it! Cozy donut heaven ready to enjoy in just about 45 minutes.
These donuts are made healthier by using no refined sugars, flours, or oils. They are paleo-friendly meaning they are gluten, grain, and dairy free. Plus, they are nut free by using cassava flour. Since finding out I have an almond intolerance, I have relied fairly heavily on cassava. Although it’s a bit pricey (but comparable to almond flour) a little goes a long way. I typically use about 75% of the amount flour I would normally use with other flours. I highly recommend trying out a few cassava based recipes if you have yet to do so! It’s a pretty versatile flour. And anything that can create a healthier donut that looks and tastes like this is just fine by me.

Happy first day of fall friends! I can’t wait to share so many new seasonally inspired treats for autumn with over these next few months with you! And hit me up if you’re still interested in that Healthier Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), refined sugar free, nut free

If you make this recipe, please leave a review or rating down below! And I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

Print

Chai Spice Baked Donuts

These donuts are just right for fall. All the warming spices, a cozy, soft, fluffy texture, and sprinkled with chai inspired sugar dusting! It's kind of like a churro and a donut had a chai spiced baby. Don't have a donut pan? No problem! Just make these in a muffin tin!

paleo-friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), nut free

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp cassava flour
  • 2 tbsp tapioca flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp cardamom
  • dash of cloves
  • dash of black pepper

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp almond milk or nut/seed milk of your choice
  • 3 tbsp avocado oil or coconut oil (melted and cooled)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Donut Coating

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare donut tin by spraying or greasing wells with a little additional oil.

  2. In a medium bowl mix the dry ingredients together until everything is well incorporated.

  3. In a smaller bowl whisk together the wet ingredients until light and frothy.

  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently until just fully combined. Taking care not to overmix. The mixture should be smooth with no lumps.

  5. Distribute the batter evenly into the 6 donut tin wells.

  6. Bake the donuts for 17-19 minutes or until donuts are puffed and just turning slightly golden.

  7. While donuts are baking, prepare the coating ingredients: In a small bowl melt the coconut oil or ghee. In another small and wide bowl mix together the coconut sugar, cinnamon, and ginger until well mixed.

  8. Let the donuts cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack with a pan or parchment paper underneath. Run a knife or spoon around the edges of the donuts if they are difficult to remove from the pan.

  9. While donuts are still warm, but cool enough to handle, coat each donut in a little oil (or ghee). This can be done by either quickly dunking each side of the donut directly into the melted oil or by brushing the exterior of each donut with a pastry brush. I much preferred the brushing method as it ensured more even coverage and was slightly less messy.

  10. Dunk each side of the donut into the sugar mixture and place back on the rack to let cool. Repeat the oil & sugar coating with all remaining donuts.

Recipe Notes

These are amazing eaten warm shortly after they have been coated. Donuts will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for a day or so. Afterwards store them in the freezer! When ready to eat, just warm in a hot oven for a few minutes or the microwave for a few seconds. 

Kitchen Tools: (affiliate links) Donut Pan, Pastry Brush (optional)

Freshly Dafna is now on Pinterest! Save all your favorite recipes by pinning this image!

Homemade Chai Concentrate (sugar free)

by Leave a Comment

I recently re-discovered this recipe while I was cleaning out my recipe organizer. A broken down, accordion-style piece of plastic, typically used for receipt organization, that has lived with me for (at least) the past 10 years. Through 3 different countries, countless home moves, and is currently being held together with a series of rubber bands. Every few years I’ll go through all the printed off recipes, random bits of paper with scribbled notes, and torn magazine pages removing anything that I know I’ll never get to or has been replaced with a newer better recipe. At the back, I came upon a note card with a handwritten recipe for a Homemade Chai Concentrate. Which I very clearly remember making on a weekly basis when we briefly lived in Sao Paulo, Brazil. And as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to make it again and post it here! So perfect for these warmer months ahead!

This chai concentrate has all the flavors you’d expect from a good chai blend steeped in black tea. This homemade chai has its fair share of ingredients that I feel are essential for achieving the flavor complexity that is so unique to chai tea. And I promise it’s worth the potential spice purchases, because once you make this you’ll definitely be back for more. I love that you can control the strength of the caffeine, level of sweetness (or lack there of), and as an added bonus, it’s eco-friendly since you’re storing it in a reusable container rather than the single-use packaging you’d get from the store or to-go cups from your favorite coffee/tea spot. And extra eco-points if you use loose leaf black tea! 

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), sugar free, keto

If you make this, I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

Print

Homemade Chai Concentrate

Easy and delicious homemade chai with the deep flavor complexity you'd expect from a good chai tea. Make it hot or iced and sweeten as you please! I left this unsweetened so everyone can enjoy it as sweet (or not sweet) as they like!

paleo, keto, vegan

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups water
  • 10 cloves
  • 7 cardamom pods
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 in piece ginger, rinsed and smashed slightly
  • 1 tsp orange zest
  • 1/2 tsp freshly zested nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground, if possible
  • 9-10 black tea bags caffeinated or decaffeinated
  • 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a medium pot, bring the water to a boil.

  2. Once boiling, add the spices and tea bags and remove pot from the heat. Use less tea bags if you want the concentrate to be weaker.

  3. Let steep for 15-20 minutes. The longer the steep, the stronger the tea.

  4. Pour the contents of the pot over a bowl or large measuring cup topped with a strainer to remove all the tea & aromatics. Then stir the vanilla extract into the concentrate.

  5. Let cool and pour into reusable container before storing in the fridge.

  6. Pour over ice or drink hot by mixing with boiled water, add milk and sweetener as you please!

Recipe Notes

This will keep in the fridge for about 1-2 weeks. 

Freshly Dafna is now on Pinterest! Save all your favorite recipes by pinning this image!

Soft Baked Chai Spice Cookies (paleo)

by Leave a Comment

When I think of fall flavors, I, of course, think of the obvious first, pumpkin pie and apple spice. And yes, those are great. But fall to me is more about the turn of season from refreshing iced beverages to warm frothy mugs full of comfort. And perhaps no food feels more like warm woolen blanket to me than a steamy mug of chai latte. All the warm spices, like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, coupled with some soothing nut milk is exactly what I want on a cool brisk day.

And thus, the inspiration of these Soft Baked Chai Spice Cookies. These cookies are like spiced little pillowy clouds of delicious coziness. Do I even need to say more??? Well, just in case, here are some further selling points. I use a blend of my favorite chai spices that is really well complemented by the natural rich flavor of the coconut sugar, of which, there is not much. These are sweet, but just perfectly sweet to be satisfying as a dessert, but not too sweet for a snack or breakfast. In my original recipe, I use tahini, which I think is just mild enough to not overpower any of the spices. I highly recommend you give it a try this way. All the warming spices, coconut sugar, and tahini just make these cookies feel oh, so comforting and just, yummy. And isn’t that really what fall baking is all about.

paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), no refined sugar

If you make this, I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

Print

Soft Baked Chai Spice Cookies

These cookies are warm and spicy in all the right ways. Super easy to mix up, in just one bowl, and have only good-for-you ingredients. These cookies have a delicious crisp exterior and super soft interior. And, these will make your kitchen smell amazing!

paleo (gluten/grain/dairy free), no refined sugar

Course Dessert, Snack

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

  • ½ cup coconut sugar
  • ¼ cup coconut oil melted and cooled
  • 2 tbsp nut or seed butter see notes
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • ¼ cup tapioca flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • ½ tsp cloves
  • ½ tsp cardamom
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. In a stand mixer, or a medium bowl if mixing by hand, mix together the wet ingredients until everything is light and fluffy.

  2. Add in the dry ingredients and mix again until just well combined.
  3. Let the dough chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to allow for easy scoping.
  4. Heat oven the 360 (yes, 360) and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
  5. Scoop the dough onto the baking sheet, and lightly press the balls down with the palm of your hand to form a cookie shaped disc.
  6. Bake for 9-11 minutes. For soft baked cookies bake for 9 minutes, for crispy and chewy cookies, bake for 10-11 minutes. Edges should be starting to brown.
  7. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Recipe Notes

I used and love tahini in this recipe. Just make sure your tahini (or any nut/seed butter for that matter) is well mixed and not too thick.

I like these cookies best baked for exactly 10 minutes, they have the crisp edges and soft chewy centers. Baked for 9 minutes these are super soft and little delicious spiced pillows that are also wonderful in their own right.

Keep in an airtight container for a few days, then move to freezer to store for longer.

Freshly Dafna is now on Pinterest! Save all your favorite recipes by pinning this image!