Chai Spice Cutouts

Total Time: 27 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 1/2 cups butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 medium vanilla bean (or 1tbsp. vanilla extract)
• colored crystal sugar, and prepared frosting for decorating

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, sift or whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, allspice and cardamom; set aside.
• 2 combine butter, sugar and salt in large bowl. using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, beat until light and fluffy. add the egg yolks, one at a time, and beat until smooth. using a small knife, split the vanilla bean in half, lengthwise. scrape the seeds from both sides of the pod with the tip of the knife and add them to the butter-sugar mixture; beat to combine. add in flour-spice mixture, 1 cup at a time, blending until fully incorporated.
• 3 divide the dough in half; wrap in plastic. refrigerate at least one hour or until firm.
• 4 preheat oven to 350ºf. line two baking sheets with parchment paper. remove and unwrap 1/2 the dough on a lightly-floured surface. roll out to 1/4-inch thick. cut out shapes with cookie cutters and transfer to prepared baking sheets. roll out scraps and repeat with remaining dough, re-chilling as necessary.
• 5 sprinkle with decorative colored sugar if desired; bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes.
• 6 cool on sheets or wire racks, frost if desired.
• 7 store in airtight container for up to one week.