These Chinese five-spice cookies are gonna make you say bye-bye-bye to boring plain sugar cookies and nǐ hǎo to these crisp and spiced lovelies. They’re sugar cookies and so, so much more. Depending upon your five spice blend, it may include ground star anise, cinnamon, ginger, fennel seeds, Szechuan peppercorns, and cloves. Perfect at the holidays or any time of year, actually. And perfect with tea thanks to the crisp texture that stands up to dunking.Renee Schettler Rossi

Star-shaped cookies on a piece of parchment paper.

Chinese Five-Spice Cookies

4.85 / 13 votes
These Chinese five-spice cookies get their kick from the traditional components of five-spice powder, which may include ginger, cinnamon, star anise, fennel, Szechuan peppercorns, and cloves. (Yes, that’s six spices, not five. What can we say? We’re overachievers.) Say hello to your newest holiday tradition.
David Leite
CourseDessert
CuisineAmerican
Servings20 cookies
Calories94 kcal
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes

Equipment

  • 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter or favorite holiday-shaped cutter

Ingredients 

  • 1 1/4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup superfine sugar, (or just blitz granulated sugar in a blender until finely ground but not powdery)
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions 

  • Dump the flour, Chinese five-spice powder, and salt in a small bowl and whisk thoroughly.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter in a large bowl until creamy and well combined. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until fluffy, about 1 minute more.
  • Stir in the flour mixture, combing just until everything is incorporated and a soft dough forms. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and adjust the rack to the center position.
  • Unwrap the dough, place it on a fresh piece of plastic wrap, and roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Slide the wrap and the dough onto a baking sheet and place the whole shebang in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm it slightly.
  • Remove the dough from the freezer and quickly cut out the spice cookies with a 2 1/2-inch round cookie biscuit cutter (or if it's the holidays, your favorite cookie cutter) spacing them 1/2-inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the edges are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Immediately transfer the spice cookies to a wire rack to cool. (The cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.) Find more information on storing and freezing your cookies here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cookieCalories: 94 kcalCarbohydrates: 11 gProtein: 1 gFat: 5 gSaturated Fat: 3 gMonounsaturated Fat: 1 gTrans Fat: 1 gCholesterol: 21 mgSodium: 34 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 5 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe?Mention @leitesculinaria or tag #leitesculinaria!
Recipe © 2017 David Leite. Photos © 2017 The Picture Pantry. All rights reserved.




About David Leite

I count myself lucky to have received three James Beard Awards for my writing as well as for Leite’s Culinaria. My work has also appeared in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and more.


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Recipe Rating




18 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Was looking for something different to bring to a Halloween party, just need to keep the dough cold while shaping the cookies. Getting ready to make another batch, there mysteriously disappearing before the party!

  2. 4 stars
    I made this recipe a few days ago and it was a hit. It was not cloyingly sweet. It was crisp at the edges and tender in the middle. Everyone except one picky eater who preferred less spicy cookies loved these cookies. This is a holiday must-have.

    1. Wonderful to her, Mide! We so appreciate you taking the time to let us know! Yes, they’re a slightly sophisticated cookie, forgive the term. Less sweet, more spice, a little something unusual. So glad you loved!