Browned Butter Cardamom Cookies: powdered sugar, butter, spice...this is the stuff that Christmas is made of! This year I think I'll leave a big plate of these cookies for Santa. Hey, I'm not above bribery over here; my wish list is pretty awesome after all.
While I'm sure this cookie would be tasty with plain old butter, It's amazing how browning the butter first turn the delicate flavor into something extra special! Rolling them in cardamom scented powdered sugar (twice) doesn't hurt either!
Yes, I think Santa will be mighty pleased when he visits my house this year. Feel free to bribe Santa right along with me...it will be our little secret.
photos by Freutcake
Browned Butter Cardamom Cookies - recipe adapted slightly from Land O' Lakes
2 Tbs whole milk
2. Heat oven to 350°F. Combine cooled browned butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat at medium speed until well mixed. Add egg yolk, vanilla and 1 teaspoon cardamom; continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low. Beat, gradually adding flour, until mixture is no longer crumbly and forms a dough. If the dough is too crumbly add up to 2 Tbs whole milk until dough comes together.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls or use a small cookie scoop. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies puff and start to turn light golden brown. (Cookies will have cracks in them.)
4. Allow to cool 1 minute on cookie sheets. Immediately remove to a cooling rack and cool an additional minute. Roll cookies in powdered sugar while warm and again when completely cooled. Store between sheets of waxed paper in loosely covered container.
Freutcake Tip: The original recipe calls for making 1" dough balls. Because I used a small cookie scoop instead, my cookies were a bit larger and less "ball like" after baking. I also baked them about 12-14 minutes instead of the recommended 10-12. Choose which ever size you prefer!
julia @ life on churchill says
they look amazing! i'm not that familiar with cardamom, but a friend shared a swedish pastry with me a few weeks ago with cardamom that was really good.
Chloe Moon says
I'm really starting to like these Land of Lakes recipies. They are very good and adaptable. I honestly don't know what cardamom tastes like or even smells like, but I will soon change that because these lil cookies look too good!! =)
Ergo - Blog
Alyssa says
Yum yum yum...these look delicious!
Alyssa
The Glossy Life
COMMODORE says
These are going to be great dunked in milk. 🙂
Alice says
They really look yummy. I am not familiar with cardamom so I have no idea of it's taste but I am sure it will add to this recipe (since you recommend it) :).
SarBear says
Looks Delicious!
onceuponarecipe says
You had me at browned butter.
twochums says
Me too 🙂
Kathryn says
Cardamom is one of my favourite spices at the moment and these cookies sound just perfect!
twochums says
I am fortunate enough to have had these cookies that Leah made cookies just the other day and let me tell you they are AMAZING!!!! My absolute new favorite cookie:) I'll be making these a lot!
Agnes says
Trying this right now! Had to convert to swedish measurements but hope it works 🙂
Kimberly says
I know it's no longer the holidays, but I'm finally trying this recipe today! It's cool and rainy here so I think these would go great with tea. 🙂
Leanne says
I bet they taste great rolled in the icing sugar & cardamom first, then baked, like crackle top cookies.
Freutcake says
Mmm! That does sound good. If you give it a try, let me know how they turn out. 😉
Rebecca says
I've made these 2 years in a row for Santa and they don't last long! I'm visiting your site today to remind myself of the ingredients to ensure I can still make them this year. We now live in Austria and finding ingredients can be challenging, especially since everything is in a German and packaged differently... 😉 Happily, I brought cardamom from home and everything else is accessible here.
My kids LOVE rolling them into balls and then in sugar once cooled. Great recipe! Thanks!
Leah Bergman says
Hi Rebecca, thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave this comment. I am thrilled to hear that your family loves these cookies and that they are now a tradition! xo Leah