Orange zest and cardamom cookies

1 hour    Cookies These Orange Zest and Cardamom Cookies are a delightful blend of sweet citrus and warm spice. Made with fresh orange zest and aromatic crushed cardamom, these cookies are crisp on the edges and tender in the centre. Perfect for festive occasions such as Halloween or Diwali, or even fun everyday treats, they bring a unique twist to classic sugar cookies with their bright, fragrant flavors. Shape them into fun designs for a creative touch and to make these ghosts you only need a heart shaped cookie cutter. Enjoy the perfect balance of zesty freshness and cozy warmth in every bite, happy baking! Servings: 24 cookies Prep: 30 minutes Bake: 10 minutes per batch Total: 1 hour Contains: Dairy, Gluten Free from: Meat, Seafood Vegan alternatives: N/A

Ingredients

2 cups and 2 tbsp all purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons crushed cardamom 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

3/4 cup sugar 1 egg

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons orange zest (1 large orange)

Method

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt together, then set aside. 2. In a separate bowl, beat the sugar and butter until creamy, around two 2 minutes using a paddle attachment on a stand mixer or a hand mixer.

3. Add the egg, vanilla essence and orange zest and beat again until combined (1 minute). Pour in the flour mixture and bring together to form a dough, do not overmix.

4. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for atleast 30 minutes and at most 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

5. Cut the cookie dough into 4 equal pieces, working with 1 at a time (put the rest in the fridge). On a floured surface, knead the dough until it is workable but not too soft. 6. Roll out and carefully until 0.5cm thick, then cut the cookies using your desired cookie cuter. To create ghosts I used a heart shape and cut it in half, pinching the bottom end to create a ghost shape. Using round icing tips, create the eyes and mouth. Place the cookies on a tray and repeat for the rest of the cookie dough.

7. Bake for 7 - 9 minutes or until the base of the cookie is ever so slightly golden at the bottom. Note: the cookies will continue to brown on the tray so don't leave them in the oven too long!

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