Christmas Cookies with Cardamom
These delicate Christmas cookies combine rich butter, vegetable shortening, fragrant ground cardamom, and vanilla in a tender, lightly crisp cut-out cookie. Chilling the dough before rolling and again after shaping helps the cookies maintain their decorative form while baking.
Pin it to remember it!
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom preferably fresh and aromatic
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar sifted until free of lumps
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour such as King Arthur all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
Instructions
- Place the room-temperature butter and vegetable shortening in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Alternatively, use a handheld electric mixer. Beat on medium speed for 1–2 minutes, or until the two fats are smooth and thoroughly blended.
- Add the sifted confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, ground cardamom, and salt. Mix on medium-low speed only until the ingredients are evenly incorporated and the mixture is uniform.
- Add the all-purpose flour to the butter mixture. Beat on the lowest mixer setting just until the flour disappears into the dough and no dry streaks remain.
- Stop as necessary to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl so the dough combines evenly.
- Gather the finished dough into a ball, then gently press it into a flat disk. Wrap the disk securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes, or until sufficiently firm for rolling.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare three baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Dust the work surface lightly with flour. Roll the chilled dough to a thickness just under 1/2 inch.
- Cut the dough into the desired shapes using cookie cutters. A 1 1/2-inch fluted round cutter may be used to create cookies similar in size to those prepared in the original recipe.
- Transfer the shaped dough pieces to the prepared baking sheets, leaving approximately 1 inch of space between each cookie.
- Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before baking. This additional chilling period firms the dough and helps the cookies preserve their shape in the oven.
- Bake the cookie sheets individually in the fully preheated oven for 8–10 minutes per tray.
- Remove the cookies when their edges show a light golden-brown color and the centers have just set. Avoid baking them too long, as they will continue to become firmer while cooling.
- Leave the freshly baked cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- Carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before serving.
Notes
Keep leftover cardamom Christmas cookies in an airtight container to preserve their texture and freshness.