Cardamom is one of the oldest spices, going back 4000 years, and it was quite popular in Europe during the Middle Ages. Christmas cookies made with cardamon go back to German monasteries that had access to cloves, ginger and other spices. Sadly, it’s not as popular in America, though many families with German origins continue the tradition with Plätzchen. It has a spicy, earthy taste and is grown as pods in India and Asia.
This was my first year using cookie stamps, and I was quite pleased by the result. I used the NordicWare snowflake stamps. The designs are less intricate, so the pattern is clearer. These were a bit tricky at first, and they can’t be used for fluffy cookies as the dough rejects the pattern as it rises. So, make sure your dough can be used for stamps. The less baking powder and baking soda the better. And keep them chilled.
When I decided to try cardamom cookies for Christmas, I searched for a recipe but I wasn’t satisfied with the amount of spice in any of them. These cookies were popular at a time when there wasn’t really a division between savory and sweet. Dishes like minced pies were served with both, so using old sources, I decided to create my own. I kept the pepper light for modern tastes, but these cookies could be a lot spicier!
FINDING CARDAMOM
Cardamom comes in a pod and needs to be grounded. It’s not common on supermarket shelves, and it’s quite expensive. You don’t need much either. After searching, I went down to the Central Market in Lancaster to The Herb Shop, two blocks from my flat. There’s a wonderful spice and tea shop there, and they ground 2 ounces of cardamom for me. It cost about six dollars. If you’re in Lancaster, check them out! I’m taking them down some of these tomorrow.
From their About Page:
In 1980, Barbara Zink founded The Herb Shop in picturesque Lititz, Pennsylvania. Almost 15 years later, Barb’s husband, Jim, opened a stand at The Central Market in historic downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Barb retired in 2008 and closed the shop in Lititz, but the market stand remains. In 2014, Barb & Jim’s granddaughter, Corrie Breen, decided to carry on their legacy. Now a new generation of the ‘Spice Family’ brings the family business to the World Wide Web. On your next trip to beautiful Amish Country, don’t miss The Lancaster Central Market and ‘The Spice Girl’ on Tuesdays, Fridays, & Saturdays, 6am-3pm.
TIP: Make sure to chill the dough with the process I designed to ensure the cookie doesn’t puff up too much, removing the design. You can try removing the baking soda too if you have issues.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 CUPS (250g) all-purpose flour. And you will need some more to dust the cookie stamps.
- ½ TSP of salt
- ½ TSP of baking soda
- 2 TSP of cinnamon
- ½ TSP of nutmeg
- ½ TSP of ginger
- ½ TSP of ground cloves
- 1 TSP of cardamom (or more if you like.)
- ½ TSP of black pepper
- ½ CUP (1 stick; 115g) of unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ CUP (150g) of light or dark packed brown sugar
- ⅓ CUP (65g) of white granulated sugar
- 1 TBSP of honey
- 1 LARGE egg (room temperature)
- 1 TSP of vanilla extract (use pure not an imitation.)
FOR THE SUGAR COATING
- ¼ CUP of White Granulated Sugar
- 1 TSP of Cinnamon.
DIRECTIONS
- Put the ¼ cup of white granulated sugar and the 1 tsp of cinnamon in a bowl for rolling the dough. This is the sugar and cinnamon for rolling the dough. Set aside. You’ll need it later.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and cardamom together in a medium bowl. Set it aside.
- Mix the brown sugar and white sugar together in a bowl, taking care to grind out any of the lumps.
- Use a hand mixer or a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the softened butter on medium then slowly pour the mixed sugar into the bowl as its mixing. Mix for two minutes then scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and keep mixing.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract and honey. Mix for another minute until combined. Then scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
- Add the dry ingredients a few spoonfuls at a time until it mixes completely. Don’t overmix. Just until combined. The dough will be a dry sandy texture, just enough to hold together.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours so the dough is cold and harder. Use a 1 tablespoon ice-cream scoop to create balls of dough.
- Roll the balls in the cinnamon sugar.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Line the cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
- Chill the balls another hour or so then prepare your cookie stamps. I have the Nordicware snowflake collection. I got them at Target for sixteen dollars. I also chill the cookie stamps. Have flour at hand. If you chill the dough for longer than 2 hours, you’ll need to let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Arrange the balls three inches apart on the baking sheet. Flour the bottom of the cookie press or use vegetable oil spray. Center the stamp then press down on the dough ball to get a good impression. It might stick to the stamp, so carefully remove it and put it back on the sheet. Re-flour or spray the cookie stamp as you go.
- When you’ve done a sheet, chill it again for 15 minutes then put it on the center rack of the oven for 11-12 minutes. The edges will brown a bit when they are done.
- If using the same baking sheets, remove the parchment paper and run the sheet under cold water before putting on more of the cookies. A hot sheet will warm the dough before baking.
- Let cool for 5 minutes on the sheet then move the cookies to a cooling rack.
TIP: If the impressions aren’t staying, remove the baking soda from the recipe. Mine turned out fine, but you have to go through the chilling process.
And there you have it. The cookies were perfect.
