Description
Lemon cardamom cookies deliver a delightful Middle Eastern-inspired treat with zesty citrus and warm spice. Rich butter, fragrant cardamom, and bright lemon zest create an elegant cookie perfect for afternoon tea or sharing with friends.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup (130g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (113g) plant-based (or regular) butter, softened
- ⅓ cup (40g) powdered sugar
Spices and Flavor Enhancers
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- Zest from 1 large lemon (or 2 small lemons)
- 1 pinch of salt
Topping
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
- Lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper for even cookie placement.
- Cream softened butter and powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl until smooth and uniform in texture.
- Incorporate salt, vanilla and almond extracts, ground cardamom, and freshly grated lemon zest into the butter mixture, ensuring even distribution of flavors.
- Gradually fold flour into the aromatic mixture, stirring gently with a spatula until a cohesive dough forms.
- Shape the dough into uniform tablespoon-sized balls, rolling each between your palms to create smooth, perfectly round cookies.
- Arrange cookie dough balls evenly on the prepared baking sheet, leaving minimal space between them since they won’t significantly spread during baking.
- Slide the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, watching for slight golden edges as an indication of doneness.
- While cookies bake, set aside a shallow bowl filled with powdered sugar for coating.
- Remove cookies from the oven and let them rest on the baking sheet for 4 minutes to firm up slightly.
- Carefully roll each warm cookie in powdered sugar, ensuring complete and delicate coverage.
- Transfer sugar-coated cookies to a cooling rack or serving platter, allowing them to cool completely.
- Optional: Dust cookies with an additional layer of powdered sugar once cooled for extra sweetness.
- Garnish with delicate sprinkles of fresh lemon zest for enhanced aromatic appeal.
- Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain their delicate texture.
Notes
- Handle cookies gently as they are delicate and crumbly right after baking, needing careful transfer to prevent breaking.
- Ensure butter is truly softened at room temperature for smoother mixing and better cookie texture.
- Roll dough balls uniformly to guarantee consistent baking and even powdered sugar coating.
- Dust cookies with powdered sugar while still warm for better sugar adherence and a lovely, delicate finish.
- Zesting fresh lemon directly before adding adds maximum citrus flavor and aromatic brightness to the cookies.
- Store cookies in single layers separated by parchment paper to maintain their delicate texture and prevent sticking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 15mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg