Cardamom Shortbread Cookies (Print View)

Buttery, melt-in-mouth shortbread with warm cardamom, ideal for teatime or snacks.

# Components:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
03 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2/3 cup powdered sugar
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ground cardamom, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and powdered sugar together until light and creamy, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Mix vanilla extract into the creamed butter mixture until fully combined.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture, blending until a soft dough forms without overworking.
06 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/2-inch thickness.
07 - Cut dough into rounds or desired shapes using cookie cutters and place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.
08 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until edges are pale golden brown.
09 - Cool cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They melt on your tongue like butter clouds, no tough edges or dense crumbs to apologize for.
  • The cardamom whisper makes people pause mid-bite and ask what that warmth is, then eat three more before you can explain.
  • Ready in 35 minutes total, so you can bake them on a quiet afternoon and have something special by teatime.
02 -
  • Room temperature butter is non-negotiable—cold or melted butter will give you greasy, flat cookies that disappoint, so plan ahead and let it sit on the counter.
  • Don't overbake; pale golden edges mean tender cookies, while dark edges mean you're one minute too far and they'll taste like cardboard by tomorrow.
03 -
  • If your dough cracks when rolling, it's too cold—let it sit at room temperature for ten minutes and try again with a gentler hand.
  • Invest in good cardamom, whether whole pods you grind yourself or freshly ground from a quality spice source, because stale cardamom tastes dusty and defeats the whole purpose.
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