Note: I’ve updated this recipe! I found the frosting/icing to be too runny and never set — here’s an updated version if you prefer a harder frosting: https://icrashedtheweb.com/2025/12/09/taylor-swifts-chai-cookies-updated/. For the original recipe with the thinner icing, view below.

A few months ago, I made Donna Kelce’s chocolate chip cookies (here’s the recipe!), and after making them, realized I wanted to make a Taylor Swift recipe.

Not only is my 6-year-old daughter in love with Taylor Swift (as most 6-year-old girls seem to be these days), but Taylor Swift has a Cleveland connection – at least by her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Travis Kelce is from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and and we are often on “Taylor watch” when Kansas City is in town for football.

So this week was the PERFECT occasion to make the Taylor Swift cookies. Not only was Friday her birthday, but the Chiefs were in town playing the Browns! It was the perfect Taylor Swift weekend and my daughter and I celebrated by listening to Taylor Swift Christmas tunes and making her famous chai cookies.

I pretty much made this recipe exactly. I’ll admit that there were quite a few steps to make these with my daughter but they turned out great! They were like a spiced snickerdoodle cookie with eggnog frosting. YUM!

Would I make them again?

Maybe – they were good but there were a few extra steps and ingredients required that aren’t in my typical cookie recipe AND they require time to sit so they may not become my go-to cookie in a pinch. But they were good enough to share and my kids loved them! My oldest said they’re one of his top holiday cookies now.

Taylor Swift’s Chai Cookies

(originally shared from the Joy the Baker)

Here’s what you need:

For the cookies

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil 
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• Pinch of fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Cinnamon sugar for rolling

For the frosting

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus more for sprinkling the top of the cookies
• 3 Tablespoons eggnog

Here’s what you do:

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy.  Add the vegetable oil and continue to mix. It may look somewhat clumpy and not evenly distributed but keep mixing until it’s pretty smooth.
2. Add the granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and all of the spices, and continue to mix.
3. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix on medium speed until completely incorporated.
4. Turn the mixer to low and stir in the flour, baking soda and salt.
5. Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour.
6. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper.
7. Using a tablespoon, take a scoop of dough and make a ball of it in your hands. Roll the dough ball in a small bowl of cinnamon sugar.  
8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.  Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
9. When cookies are cool, prepare the frosting: in a medium bowl, mix together powdered sugar, eggnog and nutmeg until mixture is spreadable. Place a dallop of frosting on each cookie and spread out from the middle so the frosting doesn’t quite reach the edge of the cookie. Sprinkle with nutmeg.  

I highly recommend finding your favorite Swiftie to help you. In my case, it was my daughter and we listened to Taylor Swift Christmas music at the same time, which was delightful.