Cardamom Buttery Shortbread Cookies (Printable)

Delicate, buttery shortbread with warm cardamom, ideal for tea time or a sweet snack.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
03 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 2/3 cup powdered sugar
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground cardamom, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until light and creamy, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, blending until a soft dough forms.
06 - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to 1/2-inch thickness.
07 - Cut into rounds or desired shapes using a cookie cutter. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.
08 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the edges are pale golden.
09 - Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like pure butter and warmth—the kind of cookie that makes people ask for the recipe.
  • Ready in under an hour with zero fancy techniques, just honest baking that always works.
  • Cardamom transforms shortbread from ordinary to something that feels a little bit special, even though it's deceptively simple.
02 -
  • Cardamom's flavor can turn bitter if the oven temperature creeps above 325°F, so trust the low heat even though it feels slow.
  • These cookies firm up as they cool—what feels impossibly soft on the pan becomes perfectly tender and crumbly once completely cooled, so resist the urge to overbake.
03 -
  • Grinding your own cardamom pods makes a noticeable difference in brightness and intensity—store-bought ground cardamom can sit on shelves long enough to lose personality.
  • If your butter is even slightly warm when you start mixing, refrigerate the finished dough for 20 minutes before rolling so it cooperates instead of spreading while baking.
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