Cardamom-Rosewater Shortbread Cookies
These delightful shortbread biscuits are flavoured with fragrant cardamom and rosewater, creating a unique and aromatic treat. The inclusion of almond flour contributes to their wonderfully tender texture. The dough is shaped into logs, chilled, and then sliced before baking to a light golden colour. This recipe yields approximately 48 cookies, perfect for dessert or a snack.
Ingredients
- 255 g all-purpose flour (9 ounces; 2 cups)
- 2 ounces almond flour (57 g; about 1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon)
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground cardamom seeds (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
- 227 g unsalted butter (8 ounces; 2 cups), softened
- 85 g powdered sugar (3 ounces; 3/4 cup)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) rose syrup (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) rosewater (see notes)
Method
- Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set this mixture aside.
- Place the softened butter and powdered sugar in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle. Mix on a low speed until combined, then increase to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 30 to 60 seconds.
- Lower the speed to low and add the reserved flour mixture, rose syrup, and rosewater. Mix just until a soft, cohesive dough forms with no dry flour remaining, 30 to 60 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and paddle with a spatula to ensure even mixing.
- Separate the dough into four equal parts. Take one portion and place it on a sheet of parchment paper, shaping it into a rough 12-inch log. Fold the parchment over the dough and use a bench scraper to tuck the paper underneath while pulling the top sheet to tighten the log. Repeat this tightening process down the length until the log is smooth and even. Roll the dough to wrap it fully in parchment and trim any excess paper. Repeat with the remaining dough portions.
- Place the logs in the refrigerator to chill until firm, for at least 2 hours and up to 1 week.
- When ready to bake, position an oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Take two dough logs from the fridge and let them sit at room temperature until slightly softened, about 10 minutes.
- With a sharp chef's knife, slice the logs into rounds just under 1/2-inch thick. Place the cookies on the prepared sheets, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart.
- Bake until the cookies are set and lightly golden at the edges and bottoms, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through. Move the baking sheets to wire racks to cool for about 10 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to the racks to cool completely. Once the baking sheets have cooled fully, you can repeat with the remaining dough logs. (Alternatively, the remaining logs can be refrigerated or frozen for later use.)
- Variation: For cut-out cookies, prepare the recipe through step 3, then divide the dough into four equal portions and wrap each tightly in parchment. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours. Working with one portion at a time, let the dough sit at room temperature until pliable, about 10 minutes, then roll between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 1- to 2-inch cookie cutters and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart. Bake at 350°F (175°C) until set and just beginning to turn lightly golden at the edges and bottoms, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer sheets to wire racks to cool for about 10 minutes, then move cookies to racks to cool completely. Allow sheets to cool fully before baking more batches. Gather scraps, reroll once, cut and bake as directed.
Nutrition (per serving)
Sodium24000 mg
Recipe details
CategoryDessert
Cuisineamerican
AuthorKaumudi Marathé
