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Cardamom sugar cookies made with a cookie stamp are delicate and deliciously aromatic ~ definitely add them to your holiday cookie collection!
Cookies have evolved over the generations from being a very simple treat to over the top elaborate, and holiday cookies especially can be almost inedible in their attempt to be ‘festive’. These basic cardamom sugar cookies may be soft spoken, but aromatic spice sets them apart. A snowflake imprint and a sprinkle of sugar gives them a wintery look. If you’re the type that can’t abide the whole red and green food coloring thing, I think you’ll love these.
why we love them
These cookies have a light outer crunch with a meltingly soft interior, it’s a winning combination.
They hold their own stacked and packed, so they make a great gift-able holiday cookie.
Cardamom gives them a distinctive aroma and flavor ~ it’s such a nice change from cinnamon and I’ve never known anyone who didn’t respond super positively to cardamom. The combo of cardamom with vanilla is extra nice.
This dough isn’t overly sweet, but the little sparkle of sugar on top leaves a sweet impression with every bite.
The cookies freeze well baked OR unbaked so you can get a head start on your holiday baking.
cardamom sugar cookie ingredients
- butter
- unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.
- sugar
- I’ve used granulated sugar, you can also use confectioner’s sugar. I use extra granulated sugar to coat my cookies when they’re in ball form, and after they’re pressed.
- cardamom
- ground cardamom has a wonderfully complex, exotic aroma and flavor ~ it’s a step up from cinnamon! If your cardamom’s been sitting in the back of the cupboard for years, replace it.
- vanilla
- buy good quality pure vanilla extract, the cut rate vanilla ‘flavoring’ is not as good.
- salt
- balances the sweetness of the cookies and enhances the cardamom.
- flour
- regular all purpose flour gives sugar cookies structure.
equipment you’ll need for stamped cardamom sugar cookies
- electric mixer ~ this can be a stand mixer like I used, or electric beaters. If you’ve got a strong arm you can do it with a wooden spoon.
- rolling pin or cookie scoop
- I made these cookies both ways: the first time I rolled out the dough and stamped/cut them out. The second time I scooped balls of dough and stamped the balls. I use a medium (2 tablespoon) cookie scoop, like this one.
- cookie stamps ~ I used Nordic Ware snowflake cookie stamps which you can find here. These are the same stamps we use for Soft Glazed Gingerbread Cookies and their chocolate counterparts, Chocolate Gingerbread Stamped Cookies.
- cookie sheets lined with parchment paper
tips for using cookie stamps
Cookie stamps are fun to use, especially during the holidays. They can be simple or elaborate, and they create a decorated cookie with very little effort. They turn these plain cardamom sugar cookies into something a little bit special, but keep these few tips in mind when using them.
- It’s best to use specific recipes that have been formulated for cookie stamps. Many cookie recipes will not work with cookie stamps.
- Put your metal cookie stamps in the freezer while you prep your cookie dough. The cold metal will release easier from the dough.
- Don’t over cream your butter and sugar, just beat until well combined. Too much creaming can make the cookies rise and blur the design on your stamped cookies.
- Be sure to mix your dough well, especially pay attention to getting all the butter evenly incorporated. Bits of unincorporated butter can cause deformed cookies, and it’s particularly important with stamped cookies.
- Rather than rolling out your dough with a rolling pin, you can roll it into balls for pressing. This will make slightly fatter cookies, and this turned out to be my preferred method. It’s easier, and results in a sharper imprint.
- Roll your balls of dough in granulated sugar before stamping, the sugar will help the mold release easily.
- Make sure your design is centered by placing the ball of dough in the center of the stamp, and then gently flip it over onto the baking sheet to press.
- The harder you press, the thinner and crunchier your cookie will be. Press gently for a thicker, softer cookie.
- Stop pressing when you see the dough at the edges of the stamp.
- Freeze the pressed cookies for 15 minutes. This will help them hold their shape during baking.
- Transfer your cold pressed cookies onto a fresh baking sheet before baking, because a cold cookie sheet can affect the way the cookies bake.
did you know?
The history of modern cookie stamps dates back to Medieval Europe when bakers in Germany, Holland, and Scandinavia baked yeasted doughs and gingerbread in elaborately carved molds. In their heyday the mold designs created by master wood carvers held great symbolic significance and were believed to have magic powers for good luck, virility, and fertility. Immigrants from northern Europe brought their treasured cookie molds with them to the US in the mid 19th century and currently cookie stamps and molds are having a mini comeback. I’m glad because I love them!
love these stamped sugar cookies?
- Embossed Gingerbread Cookies
- Chocolate Gingerbread Stamped Cookies
- Soft Glazed Gingerbread Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
- Nutella Sandwich Cookies
- Classic Peanut Butter Cookies
Cardamom Sugar Cookies
5 from 17 votes
Simple cardamom sugar cookies made special with a snowflake cookie stamp!
Print RecipePin RecipeRate Recipe
Prep Time:15 minutes minutes
Cook Time:14 minutes minutes
Total Time:29 minutes minutes
Servings: 1.5 dozen
Equipment
cookie sheet These are the ones I use
parchment paper
medium cookie scoop Buy it here
cookie stamps See mine here
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar (you can also use confectioner's sugar which will give you a fluffier texture to your cookie.)
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom (if you do not like, or do not have cardamom, you can use cinnamon or another spice you like.)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F
Cream the butter, sugar, cardamom, vanilla, and salt in a stand mixer or with electric beaters. You can also do this by hand.
Gradually add in the flour, with the mixer on low, until all the flour is incorporated and the dough comes together.
Use a medium (2 tablespoon) cookie scoop to portion out the dough. Roll the dough into balls and coat in granulated sugar.
Stamp the balls of dough with your cookie stamp (see post for tips.) Gently pry it off the cookie stamp by just nudging one corner. The cookie should come right off the stamp. Sprinkle your stamped cookies with a little more granulated sugar.
Place the tray of cookies in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Place the cold cookies onto a fresh parchment lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between cookies.
Bake 14-16 minutes until just starting to turn faintly golden around the very edges. The cookies will still be quite pale. Note: cold cookies will take slightly longer than room temp cookie dough, and ovens and pans vary greatly. Bake less for softer cookies and longer for crunchier cookies.
Let the cookies cool on a rack.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Sue Moran
Keyword: baking, cardamom, Christmas, cookies, holidays, snowflake, winter
Nutrition
Calories: 164 kcal · Carbohydrates: 16 g · Protein: 2 g · Fat: 10 g · Saturated Fat: 7 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g · Trans Fat: 0.4 g · Cholesterol: 27 mg · Sodium: 34 mg · Potassium: 20 mg · Fiber: 0.4 g · Sugar: 6 g · Vitamin A: 315 IU · Vitamin C: 0.04 mg · Calcium: 6 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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