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These perfectly spiced cardamom cookies are so good! Warming in flavor, they are soft, and chewy, full of cardamom flavor with a hint of molasses and lemon in every bite. Simple to make, cardamom cookies are great for gifting to friends and family over the holidays.
While cardamom isn’t number one on the list of spiced cookies, it really should be in the top 5! Cardamom is a sweet, citrusy, and slightly savory spice, and has been used in Christmas baking since the Middle Ages. If you love gingerbread cookies, these cardamom spiced cookies are for you!
“These cookies are amazing!!! I had never baked with cardamom before – no idea what it tasted like, kept hearing of it used in recipes and wanted to try it. I loved these cookies!!!!!!!!!!!” – CJ
Table of Contents
Recipe at a glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Cardamom, molasses, citrus
Skill Level: Easy
Summary
- Soft and Chewy Texture: The addition of molasses and lemon juice in the cookie dough makes these cookies soft on the inside with a slight crisp on the outside.
- Warm and Spicy: Cardamom cookies are infused with the warm and slightly sweet flavor of ground cardamom. Molasses deepens the flavors for a richer cookie.
- Easy and Simple: Easy to follow step-by-step instructions and pantry staple ingredients make these cardamom cookies an easy-to-bake option.
- Perfectly Balances: With bold flavors like cardamom, lemon, and molasses, they come together in such a way that the sweetness is perfectly balanced and not overpowering.
Ingredients to make cardamom cookies
- All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour is the base for these cookies, providing structure and a tender crumb.
- Ground cardamom: Ground cardamom adds a warm, aromatic, and slightly citrusy flavor to the cookies, giving them a unique taste.
- Baking soda: Baking soda helps the cookies rise and become light and fluffy.
- Salt: Salt enhances the overall flavor of the cookies and balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter (room temperature): Butter adds a rich and buttery flavor to the cookies, and using it at room temperature ensures easy creaming with the sugars.
- Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the cookies and adds moisture.
- Dark brown sugar: Dark brown sugar adds a deep molasses flavor and helps create a soft and chewy texture in the cookies.
- Large egg: The egg acts as a binder, helping to hold the cookie dough together.
- Molasses: Molasses not only add sweetness but also contribute to the cookies soft and chewy texture, as well as their delicious flavor.
- Lemon juice: Lemon juice adds a hint of acidity, which balances the sweetness and enhances the cardamom’s citrus flavors.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract complements the cardamom, adding depth and warmth.
POPULAR SUBSTITUTIONS & ADDITIONS
- Gluten-Free Flour: If you’re following a GF diet, substitute all-purpose flour with your favorite gluten-free blend in the same quantity.
- Zesty: Enhance the citrus notes by adding lemon or orange zest to the cookie dough.
- Chocolate: Adding semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate chunks will make these next-level cookies!
- Add Toppings: Adding a topping that gives some contrast, like flaky salt or chopped salted pistachios, will bring more flavor, texture, and visual appeal to these cookies.
How to make cardamom cookies
- Combine the butter and sugars with electric beaters.
- Add in the egg, molasses, lemon juice and vanilla.
- Beat until light and creamy.
- Gradually mix in the mixed dry ingredients.
- Place balls of the dough on a lined baking sheet and bake.
- You’ll know they’re done when they are firm with slightly darkened edges.
Tips for making the best cardamom cookies
- Chill the dough before baking. This will keep the cookies from spreading too much and allow for the center to be ultra soft and moist.
- Rolls the dough in granulated sugar for an extra special treat. This makes them sweeter and with a glistening look, but it does require more time to achieve.
- Soften your butter before using. I like to take mine out of the fridge 30 minutes or an hour before I want to make the cardamom cookies. It will combine more easily with the other ingredients.
- Leave space the cookie balls on your baking sheet. The cookies will spread during baking, so allow them room so that they don’t bake into each other.
What to serve with cardamom cookies
How to store cardamom cookies
Once your cookies have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight container. They will keep well at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
How long will cardamom cookies last in the fridge?
You can store these cookies in the fridge for up to a week. You can also make the cookie dough 2 to 3 days ahead of time and keep it wrapped in the fridge.
Can I freeze cookies with cardamom?
Yes, these cardamom cookies are freezer-friendly and will keep well for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely and then freeze solid on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag. Alternatively, you can wrap them individually and then freeze them together.
You can also freeze the cookie dough for later. Simply shape the dough into cookie balls, place them on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Transfer the dough balls to a freezer safe airtight bag or container. When ready to bake, bake from frozen, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time.
Frequently asked questions
Yes you can! The ingredients should be just combined at each stage.This is especially important when you add in the flour. If you over mix the flour, the gluten will over develop and your cookies will be flatter and crisper.
Due to the unique flavor and texture of molasses, I wouldn’t recommend swapping molasses for anything else. If you’re willing to experiment, honey or real maple syrup would be the most similar to molasses. Keep in mind that using something other than molasses will alter the flavor of these cookies and possibly the texture.
These cardamom cookies are all kinds of delicious! They have such warming flavors that are perfect for the holiday season. So simple to make, I can’t wait for you to try one of my favorite cookie recipes!
More cookie recipes:
- Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
- Vegan Sugar Cookies
- Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Cardamom Cookies recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Cardamom Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cardamon
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup molasses
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, cardamom, baking soda and salt.
- In a large bowl, combine softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Cream with electric beaters on medium-high until fluffy.
- Add egg, molasses, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat on high until creamy and light and just combined.
- On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined.
- Divide the dough into 1 ½ tablespoon-sized balls using a spring-loaded scoop.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are firm and slightly darker at the edges.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Hi! these look AMAZING! Do you think it would work to make them as cut-out cookies? I’ve got some cute cookie cutters I’ve been wanting to try.
These cookies spread quite a bit while they’re baking, I’m not confident they’ll keep their shape if you use cookie cutters. But you could try chilling the dough for 30-60 minutes and see if it works? If you’re interested, I do have Christmas Sugar Cookie and Gingerbread Cookie recipes that would work well with cookie cutters.