Sometimes I go on a quest to find the best recipe. My cardamom shortbread quest lead me to the blog This Celebrated Life. They had a recipe for orange-scented shortbread cookies with rose water glaze. Mind you I took their flour blend and changed everything else. But, I give them credit for the inspiration. These cookies won’t disappoint the cardamom lover. I prefer them with lavender glaze, but rose glaze is more traditional, or you can eat them with no glaze at all, for an unfettered cardamom flavor, which is also a personal favorite.
Cardamom Shortbread Cookies
Chilling Time: 2 to 3 hours, or overnight
Makes about 28 cookies
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (94 grams)
1/4 cup powdered sugar (31 grams)
1/4 cup cornstarch (32 grams)
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoons ground cardamom
8 tablespoons (1 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Floral Glaze (optional):
1/2 cup powdered sugar (63 grams)
1 1/2 tablespoons boiling water
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon rose extract or lavender extract
Dried rose petals or lavender petals pulverized to coarse texture, optional
Shift flour into a bowl. Whisk in sugar, cornstarch, and cardamom.
Cut in butter until it resembles flakes. Kneed with hands until gathered and pliable. Shape into disk. Wrap in waxed paper or plastic. Chill overnight or several hours.
Preheat oven to 350oF. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Roll 1/3-inch thick and cut with 1 1/2-inch shapes. Bake on 10 to 13 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Cool on baking 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
If desired, glaze with rose or lavender glaze. In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, water, vanilla, and floral extract. Stir until smooth. Brush on cookies. Decorate with dried flowers, if desired.
Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 1 week.
NOTE: If dough is chilled overnight, let it stand for 10-15 minutes, prior to rolling so that it is pliable.