Imagine chai-spiced warmth running through your body with each bite. These cookies are wonderfully soft and chewy, with a delicate touch of sweetness.
Part of growing up means heading out to new places, having new experiences. Basically building a portfolio of stories to tell the grandkids, the type that will leave them wide-eyed with wonder.
But part of this new phase of life is the challenge of figuring out how to deal with the past. Do you leave it behind, gathering dust in the attic, for the possibility of your return? Or do you pack it up and carry it with you as you move along?
Welcome to the tensions of adulting.
Keeping in touch has never really been my strong suit. Camp would end each summer and I’d promise all my friends that we’d talk and get together, only to stop doing so (if I managed to do it at all) by the time school started.
No matter how much I tell myself that I’ll be better about it, reaching out to people whom I haven’t seen for any extended period of time strikes me as daunting, regardless if they’re friends or family, regardless if we spent a short or long period of time together.
Factor in the intense discomfort and awkwardness I felt for years when it came to talking on the phone, along with the world’s rapid shift away from snail mail (this is still my favorite form of communication. There’s just something special about finding a letter in the mailbox), and it’s easy to understand my dilemma. Nearly of legal ‘adult’ age myself, it’s about time I overcame the phone call aversion, or else I might as well kiss my childhood friends goodbye.
This became especially true once I graduated high school. My best friend and I have been in different schools for the last two and a half years, but it still feels strange not to see her walking around in between classes every day.
Despite very different schedules, we’re working on talking on the phone more often, so that we don’t have a repeat of the time that forever slipped through our fingers before we were able to catch up.
The thing that I’ve realized, though, is that true friendship means you can pick up right where you left off no matter how long it’s been. It’s that intangible thing that you can’t put a price on (not counting the train and two bus tickets it took just to see her for the weekend).
It’s the type of friendship full of heart-to-hearts, countless cups of coffee and tea, and platefuls of cookies to share. Our childhood appreciation of freshly baked treats hasn’t faded.
Especially since there’s something so, dare I say it, adult about the bold chai flavors in these ones. Be assured, I am contentedly munching them while learning to maintain a long-distance friendship successfully.
She’s the one who introduced me to chai tea, and these cookies came about with her in mind. Today marks her 21st birthday, deeming it the perfect day to share this recipe!
Adulting may not always be fun, but who said it couldn’t be tasty? Particularly when there are 21 cookies wrapped in a box and sent the old-fashioned way to celebrate, since I can’t be with her myself.
If you make these, let me know what you think! Save it on Pinterest, tag #lensesandlentils on Instagram, leave a comment below. I want to hear from you!
- 2 cups almond flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp cardamom
- ½ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 5 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheet.
- Whisk together dry ingredients. Add in wet ingredients, and mix to combine. Dough will be slightly wet and crumbly, but sticks together well.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough on baking sheet. Flatten slightly. (The cookies don't spread, so don't worry about leaving enough space in between each one.)
- Bake for 15-17 minutes, until golden around the edges and barely yield when gently pressed down.
- Cool on pan for 5-10 minutes. Store in an airtight container.
I whole heartedly agree. True friendship means picking up right where you left off. A new recipe for your friend’s birthday sounds perfect.
Thanks Marcia! She loves them 🙂
These look DELICIOUS!!! <3
Thanks!! They’re my FAVORITE. I adore chai in all forms.
O yum! So cute and cookies always show the love 😉
100%! I’d be so down to receive a package of cookies in the mail 🙂
THIS IS BY FAR ONE OF MY FAVORITE COOKIES!!! It warms your heart and tummy with the amount of flavor and yumminess! First your hit with a small sweet salty sensation and then all of a sudden THERE’S ANOTHER LEVEL OF FLAVOR- and that’s when you get all the chai spices you put in! Definitely a top recipe!!
Awwww thank you!!!!!!!