Cardamom Butter Squares

Serves: 6

Jonathan Flatley

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

49

Spice

64

Sweetness

48

Sourness

39

mins

Prep time (avg)

5.2

Difficulty

Ingredients:

3 tsp

Salt

1.5 tsps

Ground Cardamom

1.25 cups

Granulated Sugar

2 large

Egg

1 tsp

Vanilla

2 tbsps

Milk

Directions:

1

Make cookies: Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice in a bowl

2

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes in a stand mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 4 minutes with a handheld

3

Beat in eggs and vanilla

4

Reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture until just combined

5

Form dough into 2 (12-inch) logs (1 1/2 inches in diameter), each on its own sheet of plastic wrap

6

Use plastic wrap and your hands to roll, press, and square off sides of logs

7

Chill logs on a baking sheet until slightly firm, about 1 hour, then smooth logs with plastic wrap and flat side of a ruler to achieve straight sides

8

Chill logs on baking sheet until firm, about 1 hour

9

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F

10

Cut enough scant 1/4-inch-thick slices from a log with a knife to fill 2 large ungreased baking sheets, arranging slices about 1 inch apart (chill remaining dough, wrapped in plastic wrap)

11

Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes total

12

Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely

13

Make more cookies with remaining dough on cooled baking sheets

14

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice in a bowl

15

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes in a stand mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 4 minutes with a handheld

16

Beat in eggs and vanilla

17

Reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture until just combined

18

Form dough into 2 (12-inch) logs (1 1/2 inches in diameter), each on its own sheet of plastic wrap

19

Use plastic wrap and your hands to roll, press, and square off sides of logs

20

Chill logs on a baking sheet until slightly firm, about 1 hour, then smooth logs with plastic wrap and flat side of a ruler to achieve straight sides

21

Chill logs on baking sheet until firm, about 1 hour

22

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F

23

Cut enough scant 1/4-inch-thick slices from a log with a knife to fill 2 large ungreased baking sheets, arranging slices about 1 inch apart (chill remaining dough, wrapped in plastic wrap)

24

Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes total

25

Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely

26

Make more cookies with remaining dough on cooled baking sheets

27

Ice cookies: Whisk together espresso powder, vanilla, and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk until espresso powder is dissolved, then add confectioners sugar and enough additional milk to make a thick but pourable icing

28

Spoon into a sealable bag and snip 1/8 inch off a bottom corner

29

Spoon melted chocolate into another sealable bag and snip 1/8 inch off a bottom corner

30

Pipe some espresso icing and chocolate over each cookie and let cookies stand on racks until icing sets, about 2 hours

31

Whisk together espresso powder, vanilla, and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk until espresso powder is dissolved, then add confectioners sugar and enough additional milk to make a thick but pourable icing

32

Spoon into a sealable bag and snip 1/8 inch off a bottom corner

33

Spoon melted chocolate into another sealable bag and snip 1/8 inch off a bottom corner

34

Pipe some espresso icing and chocolate over each cookie and let cookies stand on racks until icing sets, about 2 hours