These soft, chewy orange cardamom cookies are just right for the holiday season. Made with sweet honey, warm spices, and fresh orange zest, they're a cozy and delicious treat everyone will love.
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Chewy Cardamom Cookies
I enjoy baking different cookies during the holiday season to share with our neighbors and friends. Most of the recipes are tried and true, but I challenge myself to create one new recipe each year.
This year, I transformed my chewy maple cookies into orange cardamom sugar cookies. I used honey to keep them soft and chewy, and then I gave them a warm citrus twist with orange zest and cardamom powder. They turned out perfect!
Honestly, these chewy cardamom cookies might be my new favorite. They have the best flavor combo and stay soft for a week. Plus, they're a great treat to enjoy with coffee or tea in the afternoon!
Why You'll Love Cardamom and Orange
- Fresh, Sweet Taste: The orange zest and orange blossom honey add just enough citrus flavor. It's there, but it doesn't overpower the sugar cookies.
- Warm Spice Flavor: Ground cardamom has a cozy, citrusy taste that goes really well with orange.
- Soft and Chewy Texture: The extra spiced sugar coating gives them a sweet and slightly crunchy outside. Trust me, you will want to grab another one.
- Perfect Holiday Cookie: This recipe is fantastic for parties or Christmas cookie swaps. Get ready to share your new favorite cookie recipe because everyone will ask for it!
Main Ingredients
Most of the ingredients for this cardamom cookie recipe are common pantry items. This makes it easy to bake them anytime. To make them, add two oranges and a jar of ground cardamom to your shopping list.
- Butter: Adds a rich flavor to the dough. We prefer to use unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in each recipe.
- Sugars: Light brown sugar and granulated sugar sweeten the dough.
- Orange Blossom Honey: Honey's floral notes pair perfectly with the spices and citrus zest. Agave or maple syrup can be used in place of the honey.
- Navel Orange: One large orange should give you enough zest and juice for the dough and glaze.
- All-purpose flour stabilizes the dough and controls the cookies' thickness. Read our tips for measuring flour so you avoid adding too much.
- Baking Soda: Provides a slight rise as they bake but mainly helps the cookies stay chewy.
- Cardamom: You can buy whole pods at specialty shops and grind them into fresh powder. However, I prefer buying a jar of cardamom at my local grocery store to save time.
- Vanilla: I used vanilla bean paste and extract to give these cookies a richer flavor. Use more vanilla extract if you don't have or can't find paste.
- Spiced Sugar: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom make a fragrant and sweet sugar for rolling the dough balls.
- Orange Glaze: In a bowl, mix powdered sugar and fresh orange juice. This is optional, but it gives the cookie recipe a bright orange flavor and lets people know what cookie it is.
BruCrew Tip: Use the extra cardamom to make chai donuts for breakfast, and chai whipped cream for your cup of coffee.
How To Make Orange Cardamom Cookies
The dough for these orange sugar cookies comes together quickly. Remember to allow time to chill it before baking.
- Beat the softened butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl until soft and creamy. Add the egg, honey, vanilla, and orange zest, then mix again.
- Stir together all the dry ingredients. Slowly beat them into the butter mixture a little bit at a time until a soft dough forms.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour before using a cookie scoop to make 36 one-inch balls. Roll each one in a small bowl filled with spiced sugar.
- Place 12 cookie dough balls on a baking sheet, then bake for 10 minutes. Cool them on the hot cookie sheet for 3-4 minutes before moving them to parchment paper or a wire rack.
BruCrew Tip: Drizzle orange glaze on one side of the cooled cookies if desired.
Storage Recommendations
Keep the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. They will stay soft and chewy for up to a week.
Baked cookies should be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in a freezer-safe bag for 1-2 months. Before serving, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw on the counter.
Tips and Tricks
- Once you add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies; we want these to be pillow-soft!
- Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour before baking. This helps solidify the butter in the dough, resulting in a chewier texture.
- Add ½ teaspoon of orange extract to the dough for a brighter orange flavor.
- When you remove the hot cookie pan from the oven, bang or drop it on your counter. This helps deflate the puffy cookies, leaving wrinkles and cracks.
- Revive crystalized or hardened honey by placing the jar in a pan of warm water. Once it is dissolved, remove it and let it cool before using.
FAQs
Cardamom has a warm, sweet, and spicy flavor with a hint of citrus and floral. It's cozy and adds an amazing depth to sweet and savory recipes.
You can substitute cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, cloves, or ginger for cardamom. While they won't taste exactly the same, they'll still add warm and cozy flavors to your recipe!
Agave syrup, molasses, or maple syrup can be used instead of honey.
More Holiday Cookies
- Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
- Pomegranate Cookies
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gingerbread Pudding Cookies
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Recipe
Cardamom Cookies Recipe
These soft, chewy orange cardamom cookies are just right for the holiday season. Made with sweet honey, warm spices, and fresh orange zest, they're a cozy and delicious treat everyone will love.
Ingredients
For the Spiced Sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
For the Cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup orange blossom honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 3 cups all purpose flour (360 g)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
For the Orange Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Stir the spiced sugar ingredients in a small bowl, then set aside.
- Beat the softened butter and sugars until light and creamy. Add the egg, honey, zest, vanilla extract, and vanilla paste and beat again.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cardamom. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms. Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a Silpat or parchment on a cookie sheet.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop to make 36 balls. Roll them in the spiced sugar mixture.
- Place 12 dough balls on the prepared sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately bang or drop the hot pan on the counter to deflate the puffy cookies.
- Let the cookies rest for 2-3 minutes, then remove them gently and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Stir the powdered sugar, juice, and zest in a small bowl. Spoon the mixture into a plastic ziplock baggie and cut one corner off. Drizzle it over the cooled cookies. Let the icing set for 1-2 hours before storing it in an airtight container.
Notes
- Once you add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies; we want these to be pillow-soft!
- Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour before baking. This helps solidify the butter in the dough, resulting in a chewier texture.
- Add ½ teaspoon of orange extract to the dough for a brighter orange flavor.
- When you remove the hot cookie pan from the oven, bang or drop it on your counter. This helps deflate the puffy cookies, leaving wrinkles and cracks.
- Revive crystalized or hardened honey by placing the jar in a pan of warm water. Once it is dissolved, remove it and let it cool before using.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 121Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 103mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 12gProtein: 1g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
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