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    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Published: Feb 6, 2021 · Modified: May 3, 2022 by Cassie Waltman · 10 Comments

    Easy One Bowl Soft Orange Cardamom Sugar Cookies

    click here to get straight to the recipe

    Sugar cookies are welcome in any cookie jar, with their simple flavor profile and ability to pair equally well with a cup of coffee or tea as they do with a glass of milk. These Orange Cardamom Sugar Cookies are a mashup between a simple sugar cookie and a snickerdoodle, with warm cardamom spice and fresh orange flavor.

    For more citrusy dessert inspiration, check out these Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies or this Vegan Lemon Cheesecake Dip!

    A tall stack of golden edged cookies sitting on a white plate with a black rim. Below are orange slices, cardamom pods, and orange zest.

    Ingredients

    I started with my favorite Snickerdoodle cookie recipe when creating these cookies, and I'm very pleased where things ended up.

    Ingredients for Orange Cardamom Sugar Cookies arranged on a white surface.

    Butter: I use salted butter in this recipe and there's no need to bring it to room temperature to soften it. We'll be melting it for the simplest preparation.

    Eggs: As always, I use large eggs in developing my recipes.

    Granulated and Brown Sugars: Adding a combination of both plain white sugar and brown sugar adds an extra depth of flavor and moisture, thanks to the molasses in the brown sugar.

    Vanilla: Vanilla extract adds that familiar cozy warmth and sweet base to the flavors in this cookie.

    Orange Zest: Zest is the best way to add orange flavor to the cookies. For maximum flavor, zest your washed orange directly over the bowl so that you catch all of the oils.

    Cardamom: Cardamom walks the sweet-savory line and I love the way it pairs with citrus. Generally I use cardamom in Indian spice mixes and if you've never had it before I'd describe it as part mint, part clove, and part coriander, so you can see how it can work in a cookie. Cardamom seeds are packed into pods which can be crushed and added to recipes (think Indian curries or kheer) or the seeds can be ground which is what we use for this recipe. Ground cardamom is easy to find at your supermarket, no harvesting of seeds and hand grinding required.

    All Purpose Flour: Your basic everyday four works perfectly here, just make sure you are scooping and leveling the flour so that you don't pack it into the measuring cup and add too much flour.

    Baking Soda: Baking soda will add lift to our cookies.

    One Bowl Preparation

    These cookies are meant to be baked at the drop of a hat. You can definitely get them mixed up before the oven is heated! I simplified the preparation of these cookies by starting with melted butter, no planning ahead to soften butter required!

    The wet ingredients stirred together in a glass bowl, with orange zest and cardamom spice visible.

    Once the butter is melted in your big bowl, you stir in the sugars and vanilla. Zest the orange with a micro plane grater directly over the bowl so that you capture all of those lovely oils. Add in the cardamom, vanilla, and eggs, and stir until combined. It already smells heavenly and look at all of those lovely little specks of cardamom and orange zest in there! Swoon.

    Dry ingredinets added right on top of wet ingredients in a large glass bowl.

    Next, you dump the flour and baking soda right on top of the wet ingredients and give it all a mix to combine. You've got ribbons of lovely cookie dough all ready to scoop out and bake... NO CHILLING REQUIRED!

    Cookie dough swirled in a glass bowl with flecks of cardamom and orange zest visible.

    Mix up ½ cup of granulated sugar and a teaspoon of ground cardamom in a small bowl for coating the dough balls. I use a cookie scoop to portion out generous tablespoonfuls of dough, roll them into balls, and then coat them with the cardamom-sugar mixture. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2-3 inches apart.

    Sugar cookie dough being rolled out and coated in sugar before placement on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

    Baking the Cookies

    Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes at 350F. They should be just barely getting a little color at the edges. Remove them from the oven and let them sit on the pan for an additional two minutes. This will allow them to continue to cook and get the golden edges you see below. Transfer them to wire racks to cool completely and enjoy right away for soft and chewy centers and crisp edges.

    A dozen baked cookies on a baking tray, with golden edges and sugared tops.

    Storage

    A tall stack of golden-edged cookies sitting on a white plate with a black rim.

    The Orange Cardamom Sugar Cookies should be stored in an airtight container. They will soften a bit more over the next couple of days and lose the crisp edges, but they are still delicious. I actually think the orange and cardamom flavors get richer the second day!

    Make-Ahead Options

    You can store the baked cookies for a couple of days in an airtight container, but making the dough ahead of time is a great time saver! Once the dough is mixed together, wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze it for up to six months. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight and then scoop, roll in sugar, and bake as needed.

    Try It and Share

    Give these Orange Cardamom Sugar Cookies cookies a try and let me know what you think of them in the comments. I want to see your results! Tag your photo with #planeatpostrepeat and mention me @planeatpostrepeat on Instagram or Facebook. I can give you a virtual high five and thank you for cooking one of my recipes! Comment below with any questions and please leave a review so others can find this recipe more easily.

    Recipe

    A tall stack of golden edged cookies sitting on a white plate with a black rim. Below are orange slices, cardamom pods, and orange zest.

    Easy One Bowl Soft Orange Cardamom Sugar Cookies

    Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat.
    These sugar cookies get a boost from orange zest and cardamom, yielding a citrus- and spice-spiked cookie with crisp edges and a soft center.
    5 from 2 votes
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    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 48 cookies

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup salted butter, melted
    • 1½ cup granulated sugar, divided
    • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 large eggs
    • 2 teaspoon orage zest (from 1 medium orange)
    • 1½ teaspoon ground cardamom, divided
    • 3 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1½ teaspoon baking soda

    Instructions
     

    • Heat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
    • In a large heatproof bowl, melt the butter. Add in 1 cup of granulated sugar and all of the brown sugar and vanilla extract and mix well. Beat in eggs until well incorporated.
    • Zest the orange over the bowl and add ½ teaspoon of cardamom. Mix well.
    • Add the flour and baking soda to the bowl and mix well.
    • In a small bowl, combine ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom.
    • Scoop generous tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into a ball. Coat the ball in the cardamom-sugar mixture and place on parchment-lined baking sheets about 2-3 inches apart.
    • Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookie is just starting to develop color.
    • Allow cookies to sit on the baking sheets for an additional 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
    • Store in an airtight container. Cookies will soften with storage.

    Nutrition facts are sometimes provided below and are calculated using an online calculator. With specific brands of ingredients and additions, omissions, or substitutions the nutrition facts may change. We encourage you to use your own nutrition facts caculator to obtain the most accurate nutrition facts for your meal.

    Keyword cookies, orange, citrus, baking
    Share your results on Instagram!Mention @planeatpostrepeat or tag #planeatpostrepeat !
    A tall stack of golden-edged cookies sitting on a white plate with a black rim. The words, "Easy One Bowl Soft Orange Cardamom Sugar Cookies" and "Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat." are in a box at the bottom.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cassie @ Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. says

      December 07, 2022 at 12:18 pm

      5 stars
      Let me know if you have any questions about these yummy cookies or their preparation!

      Reply
      • Roberta S. says

        June 02, 2023 at 10:29 am

        These are now my second favorite, easy-to-make, great for guests cookie, right behind the lemon curd thumbprints. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!

        Reply
        • Cassie @ Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. says

          June 14, 2023 at 9:33 pm

          Thank you for making them! I'm so glad they take the second spot 😉

          Reply
    2. Jean W says

      June 01, 2023 at 7:10 am

      5 stars
      These cookies are delicious. So easy to make and very pretty. I’m adding this recipe to my rotation.

      Reply
      • Cassie @ Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. says

        June 14, 2023 at 9:34 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed them!

        Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Pistachio and Almond Shortbread - Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. says:
      May 6, 2021 at 1:31 pm

      […] for some other sweet treats to enjoy? Try these Orange Cardamom Sugar Cookies or Lemon Curd Thumbprint […]

      Reply
    2. Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars - Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. says:
      June 24, 2021 at 9:46 am

      […] you are looking to stock up the cookie jar with a few more treats, try Orange Cardamom Sugar Cookies or Lemon Curd Thumbprint […]

      Reply
    3. Tender Cranberry Orange Snacking Cake with Molasses - Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. says:
      November 29, 2022 at 1:25 pm

      […] Are you looking for some other goodies to share with a crowd? Try my Pistachio and Almond Shortbread or Orange Cardamom Sugar Cookies! […]

      Reply
    4. Vegan Lemon Cheesecake Dip - Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. says:
      December 7, 2022 at 12:16 pm

      […] for more citrus dessert inspiration? Try these Orange Cardamom Sugar Cookies or Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies, […]

      Reply
    5. Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies - Plan. Eat. Post. Repeat. says:
      December 7, 2022 at 12:17 pm

      […] Orange Cardamom Sugar Cookies are another way to pack citrus flavors in to a delicious […]

      Reply

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