Chai Oatmeal Cookies with Apple Cider Cream Cheese

Chewy, soft chai oatmeal cookies stuffed with an apple cider cream cheese filling. Deeply flavorful and so hard to resist. It is the perfect cookie for the cooling weather. This post is in sponsorship with The Bake Feed and Bob’s Red Mill. 

Why you’ll love it

There is very little to not like about these chai oatmeal cookies. They are wholesome and filled with great, thoughtful ingredients and infused with a deep comforting flavor all throughout. 

By using high quality ingredients like Bob’s Red Mill Old-Fashioned Oats, we get superior texture and flavor in the oatmeal cookie you cannot get anywhere else. 

It is the ultimate comfort cookie you will enjoy alongside just about any beverage. Personally, I believe they go especially well with a mug of hot coffee or tea. 

The cookie dough and creamy cheesecake filling both get better over time. I actually like to let the dough and cheesecake filling sit overnight before assembling and baking for an even better flavor, but it is definitely not necessary because you can still get great flavor right away. 

The dough and baked cookies freeze remarkably well. You can prep them and then bake whenever you are ready, or sneak into the kitchen for a quick treat whenever you want. 

They’re perfectly shareable since the recipe makes a nice amount of cookies, and it can easily be doubled or tripled for the holidays. 

Ingredients

We use wholesome and simple pantry staple ingredients to create deeply flavorful chai oatmeal cookies. Here is a review of some of the key ingredients and how they play a crucial role in the cookie, and any substitutions you can and cannot make. 

• Oats - The oats bring a nuttiness to the cookies and its signature chewiness. They also add tenderness to the cookies and also add bite. You should use Bob’s Red Mill Old-Fashioned Oats, however, in a pinch you can try Bob’s Red Mill’s other oats in a pinch
• Raisins - Perhaps a bit controversial, but raisins are a critical part to any good oatmeal cookie. We process the raisins so the are more evenly distributed in the cookie and are small enough that they mostly add sweetness and chewiness to the cookies. If you are insistent, you can omit the raisins, or you can substitute with dried cranberries or dried cherries - keep in mind that it will change the overall flavor of the cookie. 
• Flour - In this recipe we use Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Flour, it has just the right amount of protein to create the perfect balance of structure and tenderness. It is my favorite for this kind of cookie. You can also use their 1:1 gluten-free baking mix to make these cookies the perfect gluten-free treat. 
• Cocoa powder - This is our secret ingredient to making these cookies unforgettable. It adds earthiness and depth of flavor. It adds dimension to the spices, brown sugar and molasses without making the cookies taste like chocolate. It also works with the baking soda to create a puffier cookie. 
• Spices - I use my favorite blend of chai spices to create a warm and comforting mix that will immediately put a smile on your face. You can substitute the allspice with cloves. If you don’t like a slight kick to your chai, you can also omit the black pepper. If you prefer, you can also use a chai spice blend, if you already have one available to you. 
• Molasses - The molasses are important to not only add moisture, but also deepen the flavors in the cookie. It also works with the baking soda to make the cookies puffier. If you do not have molasses available, you can use honey, but remember that it will affect the final flavor of the cookies. 
• Apple cider - Apple cheesecake is such a treat during the cooling weather. It blends two amazing flavors in one. Using apple cider and concentrating the flavor by cooking it down brings in all that delicious apple flavor and helps amplify it in the filling of the cookie. Chai and apples are an amazing mix. If apples aren’t your thing, you can omit it completely.

Method

Making these chai oatmeal cookies is pretty simple and a lot of fun. It makes a great weekend baking project with someone. 

1. Prep all your ingredients and measure everything out. 
2. Add the oats to a food processor and pulse until uniform, then add in the raisins and pulse until they’re chopped. 
3. Add in the flour, spices, and leavening and pulse until combined. 
4. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
5. Beat in the eggs, molasses, and vanilla until combined. 
6. Stir in the dry ingredients and stir until fully combined. 
7. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. 
8. Reduce the apple cider, then beat into the softened cream cheese along with the granulated sugar and salt. 
9. Freeze for at least 20 minutes. Preheat the oven. 
10. Grab about two tablespoons of dough and flatten into a disc. Add a dollop of cream cheese to the middle and fold dough around. 
11. Bake for 10 - 14 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. 

Tips

The brand of apple cider will determine how much apple cider will be left when it is finished cooking. It should be approximately between 2 - 4 tablespoons. You need to use your eyes to determine when the cider is finished cooking down. It should look thickened and syrupy while still hot. 

It is also important to note you should use apple cider the juice and not apple cider vinegar!

You should add the syrup to the cream cheese while it is still warm as cooled syrup will harden too much to incorporate into the cream cheese mixture. For the best results, I also recommend the cream cheese is very softened. 

For the best flavor, I recommend making both the cookie dough and the finished apple cider cream cheese a day ahead so the flavors can develop and really infuse. It is not necessary, but it really does make a difference in flavor, if you have the time! 

Variations

This cookie recipe is infinitely customizable, which is why I love it so much. There is so much you can do to make this cookie amazing. 

• Coffee - Omit the spices and apple cider. Add ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg and add 2 tablespoons of instant espresso to the cookie dough. Mix together 1 tablespoon of warm heavy cream with 2 tablespoons of instant espresso and mix into the cream cheese mixture. 
• Pumpkin - Omit the cardamom and black pepper. Replace the apple cider with 3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree. Add half a teaspoon each of ground cinnamon and ground ginger, and a quarter teaspoon of ground nutmeg into the cream cheese mixture.
• Brown butter - Add another three tablespoons of butter and heat the butter in a small saucepan until it browns and smells nutty. Allow the brown butter to cool to room temperature before using. 
• PB&J - Replace the raisins with dried strawberries, blueberries, or cranberries. Add in ½ cup chopped peanuts to the cookie dough. Add ¼ cup of peanut butter to the cream cheese. Top finished cookies with a berry icing. 

FAQs

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