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Cardamom Cookies Recipe

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4.82 from 27 votes
Prep Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield 13 cookies (bakers doz)
Category Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Lauren Grant

Description

The ultimate chewy, spice cookie featuring a crunchy sugary coating.

Ingredients

  • 14 tablespoons (200g) unsalted butter (1 ¾ sticks)
  • 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
  • 1¼ teaspoons ground cardamom
  • 2 ¼ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt + more for rolling (or ¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ⅔ cups (356g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup turbinado, demerara sugar or white sugar, for rolling

Instructions

  • Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma, 2–3 minutes.
  • Remove skillet from heat and transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl with remaining 4 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon espresso powder and 1¼ teaspoons cardamom. Stir to combine and melt butter; set aside for 15 minutes (do not cool this mixture or let it solidify).
  • Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350ºF (176ºC). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Whisk 2¼ cups (300g) flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon baking powder together in medium bowl; set aside.
  • Add 1 ⅔ cups (356g) brown sugar and 1 teaspoon orange zest to bowl with cooled butter; whisk until no sugar lumps remain, about 30 seconds.
    brown sugar and orange zest in a bowl with browned butter
  • Add 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, and 1 tablespoon vanilla; whisk until fully incorporated and pale in color, about 1 minute.
  • Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula, then add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Give dough a final stir with rubber spatula to ensure no flour pockets remain.
  • In a shallow bowl or plate combine ¼ cup turbinado sugar and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
  • Using ¼ cup measure (#16 scoop, 2-ounce scoop, or 65-70 grams per ball), scoop dough and roll into balls. Working in batches, toss dough balls in turbinado sugar mixture and roll to coat; transfer 5 dough balls to prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2–3 inches apart.
  • Bake, one sheet at a time, until cookies are still puffy and edges have just begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), 11–12 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Do not overbake.
  • Repeat rolling, coating and baking with remaining cookie dough.
  • Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes; using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Equipment

baking sheets
parchment paper
mixing bowls
large skillet
rubber spatula
whisk

Video

Notes

How to Measure Flour
  1. Fluff the flour with a spoon or whisk. This aerates the flour and lightens it up.
  2. Use a large spoon to spoon the flour from the storage bin to the measuring cup.
  3. Sweep a flat edge, such as the back of a knife, along the top of the measuring cup to level the flour.
Less-sweet cookie: don’t love super sweet cookies? Skip rolling the dough balls in the turbinado sugar and bake as directed. The result will be a super chewy cookie without any crunchy coating!
For a bolder cookie: If you're looking for more of a "spiced" cookie, I recommend increasing the espresso powder to 2 tablespoons and using 2 teaspoons grated orange zest. 
Sweet and salty lover: for those of us who love a strong sweet and salty action, use 1 teaspoon of Morton kosher salt (or 1 1/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal) in the turbinado sugar mixture. 
Orange Cardamom Cookies: skip rolling the dough balls in turbinado sugar and instead drizzle the baked cookies with a glaze. For the glaze, whisk together confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar), orange juice and a pinch of salt.
Storing Cookies: these chewy cardamom cookies should be stored in an airtight container or resealable zipper-lock bag. They’re best within the first 2 days of baking. After 2 days I recommend placing a slice of sandwich bread in the bag or container to maintain moisture and chewiness.
To freeze the cookies: stack the cookies, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to a zipper-lock bag; freeze for up to 1 month.
Clumping espresso powder: I have heard from a few readers that their espresso powder clumps when mixed with the butter. I have tested and retested this recipe in an effort to recreate the issue and it simply does not happen for me. A few things to consider in order to avoid this: 1) add the espresso powder to the bowl with the solid butter then pour the warm butter over top. 2) do not allow the butter mixture to become cold. It should just rest for 15 minutes before you proceed with the recipe. 3) if it does clump, it will likely unclump and work itself out when the eggs are added. 
Due to reader reviews, we have decreased the espresso powder (from 2 tablespoons to 1) and the orange zest (from 2 teaspoons to 1) to allow the cardamom to shine a bit more. If you like a spiced cookie, go ahead and use the original measurements. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 3gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 194mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 30g
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