Eggnog Chai Cupcakes Recipes

CHAI CUPCAKES WITH BROWN BUTTER CHAI ICING.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with liners.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Set it aside.
• Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat it until creamy. Add the sugar and beat with the butter on high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well on medium speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed. Add in the oil and vanilla extract, beating on medium speed for another minute. With the mixer on low speed, add in half of the dry ingredients. Pour in the milk. Add in the other half of the dry ingredients and mix them on medium speed until the batter is combined.
• Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 of the way full. Bake until the tops are set, about 16 to 17 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

CHAI LATTE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Mix all of the chai spices together. You'll have 5 and 1/2 teaspoons to use between the cupcake batter, buttercream, and garnish.
• Bring milk to a boil or heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Pour over tea bag and steep for 20-30 minutes. This chai milk is the milk you'll use in the cupcake batter. This can be done the day before and refrigerated overnight. Make sure the chai milk is room temperature before adding to the cupcake batter.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2-3 liners - this recipe makes 14-15 cupcakes. Set aside.
• Whisk the cake flour, 3 and 1/2 teaspoons of chai spice mix, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamed, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the egg whites on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour and mix in the chai milk *just* until combined. Do not overmix. Batter will be slightly thick and smell incredible!
• Pour/spoon the batter into the liners. Fill only 2/3 full to avoid baking over the sides. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For around 35 mini cupcakes, bake for about 11-13 minutes, same oven temperature. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
• With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer and add 5 and 1/2 cups (660g) confectioners' sugar, the heavy cream, 1 and 3/4 teaspoons chai spice mix, the vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If frosting looks curdled or greasy, it's best to beat in more confectioners' sugar to smooth it out. Beat in up to 1/2 cup (60g) more confectioners' sugar to smooth out if needed. If frosting seems too thick to pipe or spread, beat in another Tablespoon (15ml) of cream. Taste and beat in another pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
• Frost cooled cupcakes and serve. I used Wilton 8B piping tip, stuck a cinnamon stick in some of them, and sprinkled with a mix of the remaining chai spice mix and a pinch of granulated sugar.
• Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

CHAI TEA EGGNOG COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper. Remove tea leaves from tea bag; discard bag.
• In large bowl, mix tea leaves, cookie mix, butter, egg and 2 tablespoons of the eggnog until well blended.
• Onto cookie sheets, drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart. Flatten dough slightly with bottom of glass dipped in cinnamon-sugar.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small bowl, mix powdered sugar, nutmeg and remaining 2 tablespoons eggnog until smooth. Spoon glaze over cooled cookies. Let stand until set.

EGGNOG-CHAI CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin cups with paper liners.
• Beat cake mix, chai tea, vegetable oil, and eggs together in a bowl using an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat until batter is smooth, about 2 minutes more. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling 2/3-full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool cupcakes in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Beat butter and cream cheese together in a bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, 20 to 30 seconds. Add confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and nutmeg and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl as needed. Add eggnog and beat until fully incorporated into the frosting; beat in rum extract on medium-low speed.
• Transfer frosting to a pastry bag or plastic bag with a corner snipped and pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes.