Cardamom Cookies
Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Total Time 1 hour 52 minutes 
These easy cardamom cookies are buttery, crisp around the edges, and delicately flavored with warm, aromatic cardamom. Made with just a handful of pantry staples, this simple slice-and-bake cookie dough can be prepared ahead of time and baked whenever you’re craving fresh homemade cookies. They’re perfect with tea, coffee, or as part of a holiday cookie platter.
Cardamom is one of those spices I never get tired of baking with. Growing up, it was used in everything from cakes and breads to cookies, filling the kitchen with the most incredible aroma. While many cardamom cookies include eggs or are rolled individually, I wanted something even simpler. This slice-and-bake version comes together in minutes, keeps beautifully in the refrigerator or freezer, and gives you perfectly buttery cookies every time with almost no effort.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Rich buttery flavor with warm aromatic cardamom.
- Easy slice-and-bake dough with no rolling individual cookies.
- Made with just a few simple pantry ingredients.
- Egg-free recipe that’s perfect for making ahead and freezing.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Unsalted butter – Softened butter gives these cookies their rich, tender texture.
- Powdered sugar – Creates a delicate crumb and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- All-purpose flour – Provides the structure while keeping the cookies tender.
- Ground cardamom – Freshly ground cardamom gives the best flavor, but good-quality store-bought works well too.
- Vanilla extract – Adds warmth and complements the cardamom.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances the spice.
Step-by-Step: Best Cardamom Cookies
Make the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.
Stir in the vanilla bean paste. Add the flour, ground cardamom, and salt, then mix just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
Chill the Dough
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes, or until it is firm enough to handle. This makes it much easier to shape.
Shape the Cookie Log
Transfer the chilled dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Use the parchment paper and a bench scraper to shape the dough into a smooth log about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter.
Freeze the Log
Wrap the dough tightly in the parchment paper or plastic wrap and freeze for 30 to 60 minutes, or until firm enough to slice cleanly.
Slice and Bake
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll the log in coarse sugar for a crunchy, sparkling edge. If the log is dry brush with egg white or butter before rolling in sugar.
Slice the chilled dough into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick rounds and arrange them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden while the centers remain pale.
Cool and Store
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Storage & Make Ahead
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Refrigerator: While not necessary, they can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
- Freezer (Baked): Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Freezer (Cookie Dough): Wrap the cookie dough log tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Slice and bake directly from frozen, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes to the baking time.
Variations
- Sugar-Coated Edges: Roll the cookie log in coarse sugar before chilling for a sparkling, crunchy edge.
- Orange Cardamom Cookies: Add 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest to the dough.
- Lemon Cardamom Cookies: Lemon zest adds a bright citrus flavor that pairs beautifully with cardamom.
- Chocolate-Dipped: Dip half of each cooled cookie in melted dark or white chocolate.
- Pistachio Cardamom Cookies: Roll the dough log in finely chopped pistachios before slicing and baking.
- Vanilla Bean: Replace the vanilla extract with the seeds from half a vanilla bean for an even richer flavor.
Easy Cardamom Cookies
These easy cardamom cookies are buttery, crisp, and delicately flavored with warm aromatic cardamom. Made with just six simple ingredients, this slice-and-bake cookie dough comes together in minutes and can be chilled or frozen until you're ready to bake.
Video
Ingredients
- 250 g (2 cups) All-purpose flour
- 226 g (1 cup) Unsalted butter
- 80 g (⅔ cup) Powdered sugar
- 2 tsp Ground cardamom
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla bean paste (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
Method
- Dough – In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and powdered sugar with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until smooth and creamy. Stir in the vanilla bean paste. Add the flour, ground cardamom, and salt. Mix just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.250 g All-purpose flour, 226 g Unsalted butter, 80 g Powdered sugar, 2 tsp Ground cardamom, ½ tsp Salt, 1 tsp Vanilla bean paste
- Chill dough – Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes, or until firm enough to handle.
- Shape Log – Transfer the chilled dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Shape it into a log about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, using the parchment paper and a bench scraper to help create a smooth, even cylinder.
- Freeze log – Wrap the dough tightly in the parchment paper or plastic wrap, then freeze for 30 to 60 minutes, or until firm enough to slice cleanly.
- Oven and Pan – Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice and Bake – Roll the log in granulated sugar and then slice the dough into ¼-inch (6 mm) thick rounds and arrange them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are still pale.Note: If the log is dry, you can brush with egg white or butter before rolling in sugar.
- Cool then Store – Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Freshly ground cardamom provides the most intense, aromatic flavor.
- Vanilla bean paste adds beautiful flecks and a richer vanilla flavor, but vanilla extract works just as well.
- Chill the dough thoroughly before slicing for clean, even cookies.
- For perfectly round cookies, rotate the dough log on the counter once or twice while chilling if it develops a flat side.
- Roll the dough log in coarse or sanding sugar before chilling for a crisp, sparkling edge.
- Bake just until the edges begin to color; overbaking will make the cookies dry.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Freeze the dough log for up to 3 months. Slice and bake directly from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!Tips for Success
- Use room temperature butter. It should be soft enough to cream easily but not melted.
- Measure the flour correctly. Too much flour will make the cookies dry and crumbly.
- Use fresh cardamom. Freshly ground cardamom pods have a much stronger, more fragrant flavor than older pre-ground cardamom.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Mix only until the flour is incorporated to keep the cookies tender.
- Chill the dough well. A firm dough slices neatly and helps the cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Slice evenly. Cut the cookies about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick so they bake evenly.
- Don’t overbake. Remove the cookies when the edges are just beginning to turn golden. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
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Frequently asked questions
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Cardamom has a warm, aromatic flavor with hints of citrus, spice, and a subtle floral sweetness. It’s commonly used in Scandinavian, Middle Eastern, and Indian baking, where it pairs beautifully with butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and citrus.
Yes, you can use whole cardamom pods. Simply crack open the pods, remove the seeds, and grind them into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Freshly ground cardamom from whole pods has a much stronger, more fragrant flavor than pre-ground cardamom. If using freshly ground seeds, you may need slightly less because the flavor is more intense.
This dough is rich in butter, so chilling makes it much easier to shape into a smooth log and helps the cookies keep their shape while baking.
Absolutely. The cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Slice and bake straight from the freezer, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.
Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough. Scoop the dough into balls, place them on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag. Bake from frozen, adding an extra 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
Yes. Once completely cooled, store the cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
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OMG I love these!! They are not too sweet, and that cardamom flavor is absolutely amazing- it takes me back to my childhood days when my mom would make these… Oh thank you Veena.
Thank you, Kristi. I am happy you enjoyed them. Thanks for leaving this feedback.
These are so amazing – the flavor is amazing.
Thank you so much Supriti
Cardamom and coffee are such an amazing combination, so I added a bit of coffee to the dough! I was quite young when I first tried it (alongside Arabic coffee) – initially, I thought it was awful! Skip forward a few years, and wow. It’s a flavor combination for the ages!
Thank you, Riz. Yes, cardamom can be a new flavor to some people.
I love cardamom and these cookies sound just wonderful. I definitely can’t wait to try them!
Thank you, Danielle.
I love the flavour combination going on with these cookies! Can’t wait to try them
Thank you, Jack
You are absolutely right, Middle Eastern restaurants have these cookies. I was fortunate enough to try these in Dubai along with pistachio nut cookies. Thanks for providing the recipe, I’m definitely trying it!
You are welcome, Charla. I hope you try these
These turned out amazing! I love how simple and easy the recipe is. I baked one roll and left the other for the future, but guess what? They were gone in minutes, so I had to bake the second one today too. I know I’ll be making these again soon. Love this.
Thank you, Kay. I am so happy your family enjoyed these.
Omg these cookies were absolutely delightful! I loved the subtle cardamom flavor, and they went perfectly with my afternoon tea!
Thank you, Anjali. happy you enjoyed these
These look so great! But it’s your recipe so nothing surprising. Have to try the recipe this weekend!
Aww thank you so much, Nart. I hope you try these