Everyone here on my blog knows that plant-based protein cookies have always been the Achilles Heel of my cooking repertoire. For some reason I struggle to achieve the perfect consistency of cookie dough, which means that they become ever so slightly misshapen during the cooking process. However, there is one recipe which, in general, produces cookies of which even I can be proud. This being the case, I thought it best to follow the same basic recipe, only replacing the chocolate with just enough cardamom to impart a subtle, delicate flavour. Indeed, though cardamom is truly one of my favourite spices, there exists a fine line between perfection and complete and utter failure. Who can honestly say that they enjoy the unadulterated taste of a cardamom pod?
To be honest, cookies aren’t quite as popular here in Britain as they are in America. Let’s face it, they are rather vulgar, full of sugar and generally too large. Though, I shall let you decide whether that description was aimed at the cookie or the American. All joking and pseudo-Xenophobic remarks aside, cookies will never occupy the same place in the hearts and souls of the British that the good old-fashioned biscuit has since the 18th Century. However, one cannot deny that the American cookie does have a certain dirty appeal to it. Everyone has their vices, perhaps the cookie shall become the culinary mistress to whom I return on a monthly basis. Sugar, no matter how horrible it can make one feel, is rather addictive after all.
Cardamom Cookies
Makes 16-20
Ingredients:
• 200g butter
• 85g muscovado sugar, dark works nicely
• 85g golden caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 225g self-raising flour
• The seeds of 10 cardamom pods
Method:
1. Heat the oven to 180C. Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods. Toast them gently in a frying pan, it is important to keep them moving so that they don’t burn. After a couple of minutes remove them from the heat and crush them using a rolling pin or mortar and pestle.
2. Mix the butter with both types of sugar, until smooth – take care not to cream them. Gently beat in the egg. Fold in the flour and the crushed cardamom.
3. Dollop 16-20 little balls of the cookie dough onto greased baking trays, leave a few centimetres around each to allow for spreading. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow them to cool for a few minutes until stiff enough to lift onto a wire rack – allow to cool completely before indulging.
Cost: This entire batch of cookies should set one back little more than £1.20, quite the bargain. Please enjoy the subtle aroma and flavour of these deliciously spicy cookies.
70 replies on “Cardamom Cookies”
Can’t wait to make these. I reckon would be great with black pepper corns too… I will try and let you know how I go!
I hope you do :D. Yes, please do!
Hmmm I can almost smell them! Hmmm I’m gonna go have my healthy snack bar with a cuppa! 😉 btw I love dark brown sugar in cookies n breads – makes them so gooey n chewy n moist!
I bet you wish you could, they were so fragrant. Yes, exactly why I used it 😀
Great cookies. I had a white chocolate and cardamom hot chocolate recently and these would go a treat with it.
Cheers
Marcus
Marcus, that hot chocolate sounds simply incredible! Awesome 😀
I’d put cardamom in everything if I could! My favorite spice. These cookies look absolutely delightful… especially with a cup of tea.
Haha, best not to put it in everything huh. Thanks, Karista!
Haha, a fair and funny stab! Unfortunately, for too much of the population, your cookie analogy is true… Speaking of cookies and eating too many of them, my husband and I were just the other day marveling at how cookie recipes always seem to be written to feed an army… why don’t recipes come in generally smaller sizes? If a couple bakes a batch of cookies, generally 24 cookies to a batch, that’s 12 cookies each if you fail to pawn them off on friend and co-workers. So silly! Rant over… my solution is always halving recipes and freezing extra dough!
Haha, thanks! Yes, they are massive – others have mentioned this. I always take most of them to work 😀
Also, delicious looking cookies… can’t say I’ve much experience with Cardamom! But I bet they’re spicy and warm.
Thanks, Andrea :D. They are delicious 🙂
I love American cookies and I don’t care if they are vulgar 🙂 These cardamom ones look wonderfully sophisticated though – it works so well in biscuits and with pastry. Yum.
I do too, in truth… but in moderation.
Cardamom is all the rave these days! But delcious as well! Great job!
Oh yes, it’s wonderful 😀
I really don’t cook with cardamom a lot, but these cookies are sure calling me right now. You should see my face right now.. mouth all open LOL. Great post
Oh, you must! cardamom is simply amazing.
I’d say you faced your xenophobia head on — pseudo or not 🙂 — and your bravery resulted in some delicious (possibly addictive) cookies. Cardamom is one of my favorite spices, too, but as they say, “A little dab’ll do ya!” You showed great restraint. (Dare I say, British restraint?!) Unfortunately, I’ll have to agree with you that the status quo in America isn’t “less is more.” Keep telling it like it is!
Haha – I’m glad I did :D. Nothing like a pinch of restraint :D.
Why am I left feeling like a dirty American cookie junkie after reading your post? But I will never understand why most cookie recipes make so darn many…who needs 2 dozen cookies sitting around, I tell you we just set ourselves up for failure!
Because you are? :D. I know, it’s a little excessive.
These sound gorgeous! I’ll be getting the cardamom out tomorrow…
Awesome, I do hope you enjoy it.
Did you consider mixing a little sugar and crushed cardamom and rolling the cookie dough in it, for a nice, crunchy top. The trend toward extra-large, extra-sweet cookies is a relatively new one in the States as things go (it started in the 1970s), but it shows no sign of abating. Pity, because before that we baked lots of dainty tea cookies and many ethnic treats. I’ll be baking some cardamom cookies sooner or later — you can count on it. Thanks.
I thought about something like that, but I thought this was the better way to do it and it worked perfectly. I do like the insight into america you often give me.
What a lovely flavor for cookies! I could so see myself enjoying these along with a cup of tea. Thanks for sharing. You have a very nice blog and I’m glad to have found you!
Thanks, Georgia! I’m glad you’ve found me too, feel free to comment as much as you like 😀
These sound lovely. Cardamom is also one of my favorite spices.
One thing I love about food and especially the food blog world is to learn about other culture’s preferences and what is considered a “classic dish” in their mind. We all grow up thinking our little world is what the whole world is about. Most everyone here grows up eating their grandma’s Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe and that makes us all nostalgic about them. I love hearing what brings that nostalgia for other people. No matter how foreign or “vulgar” it may seem in our mind compared to what we are used to. It is beautiful to me.
Thanks, Bettie! Yes, it is very interesting indeed.
My dear dear child (Brits accent),
I love your sense of humor, is so…. British 😉
The cookies: simply perfection!
Have a lovely weekend
Haha, I’m glad you like it.
Ahhh, now I’m a fan of cookies.. it’s also a Canadian thing… I’ve never had one with cardamom in it and this has suggested all sorts of new recipes that I could try with a pinch of cardamom! I’d love a wee cookie.. not a supersized one.. just one wee bite even:)
Ahha, I didn’t know that. I’m glad I have inspired. You’re morally obliged to give them a go.
I’m American and consider cookies one of the major food groups 😉 These would go well after Chicken Tikka Masala!
haha, Kate. They would indeed.
I love cardamom in desserts and this takes it to a whole new level. These look great!
Yes, it does. Thanks, Greg.
Wonderful pictures – cardamom always works so well in cookies I have found recently. Just perfect! I love cookies whatever shape or size they all work for me.
Thanks! It does indeed :D.
That vulgar comment wasn’t aimed towards me, now was it? It’s because I’m American, isn’t it? Or maybe because I digust you. Regardless, I got the biggest belly laugh out of this post. You are completely and utterly a regionist {one who is prejudice against people from different regions}; or an Americanist that makes one tasty cardomom cookie 🙂
Well, I suppose it was indirectly :D. I’m glad you found it funny. I’ll let you decide what I am.
I knew it!
Your intuition serves you well.
It’s because I am American 🙂
Are you? I didn’t know…
Love anything with cardamom in it. subtle perfection 🙂
Absolutely 😀
Cardamom has such a nice and particular taste, so the cookies must be delicious! Cardamom tea is also great 🙂
Oh yes, it does, it’s so fantastic. I’m glad you like it. I’ve never tired the tea. I shall have to try it!
[…] that cookies are not his forte when it comes to baking. But when he came up with this recipe for Cardamom Cookies he used a familiar recipe that he knew got great results and just changed the flavors. Perfect. […]
this is a wonderfully simple recipe; and the post certainly had me laughing! I love that you let cardamom really control the flavor in these. I’m curious to give them a try, but since I’m not using refined sugars much these days, I’m wondering if you think honey would work with the flavor here?
Oh, I am glad. I do like to make people laugh. I’m sure that honey would work just fine – perhaps you’d need a tiny little more flour… I’m not sure.
wow! these look amazing! love your site.
Thanks!
Dirty cookies, HA!!! I had no idea were so vulgar but I do love me a good cookie!
Oh yes, very dirty…
Oh! a Cardamom Cookie!!! Heaven must have dreamed this one! VERY beautiful Nick!!!
Haha. Thanks, Spree.
[…] The blog is called Frugal Feeding and it’s one of my favourites at the moment for good cheap eats. I won’t copy the recipe onto my page but recommend you look at the original here. […]
Hi – just wanted to let you know I made these and they were great! I’ve posted a pic with a link to your page at:
http://applepiezucchini.wordpress.com/2012/03/14/cardamom-cookies/
Awesome!
[…] remember. But I popped over to his site to check it out and soon thereafter read his post on Cardamom Cookies where he said, “…To be honest, cookies aren’t quite as popular here in Britain as […]
[…] things a little; I’ve never baked the same cookie twice. These aren’t in any way similar to my cardamom cookies or my American-style chocolate chunk cookies. Instead, the consistency found within the bites is […]
[…] things a little; I’ve never baked the same cookie twice. These aren’t in any way similar to my cardamom cookies or my American-style chocolate chunk cookies. Instead, the consistency found within the bites is […]
So yummy! I finally got around to making these at 7am this morning and I don’t think they’re going to last the day 🙂
Thanks! Haha – they didn’t here 😀
I made these today (after making the rhubarb and ginger jam cake yesterday!), they are truly heavenly. I used ground cardamom (1 1/4 tsp), and my batch of dough made about 40 cookies rather than your 20, they were lovely, thin and crisp. I will be making these regularly for sure, thank you!
Great to hear – I need to do more baking with cardamom, it’s such a wonderful flavour.
[…] the best I’ve ever made. But if you’d like to try something a little different, my recipes for cardamom cookies and golden oat and raisin cookies are worth a […]