Orange and Cardamom Christmas Shortbread

By Rebecca St. Clair

I love shortbread cookies at Christmas time. Plain shortbread cookies are a classic for a reason! These orange and cardamom infused cookies have a very similar taste and texture to classic shortbread cookies, however, I have made them even more convenient by making this a slice-and-bake recipe!

How to store orange cardamom shortbread

I often make batches of cookies, when I have time, during the holiday season. I freeze them in big freezer bags. That way, I am ready to go when I need to make Christmas cookie tins, attend a holiday party, or have a friend stop by!

Freezing cookie dough

For these cookies, you can freeze the dough two different ways. Make the dough into a log shape. Wrap completely in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag (or air-tight container). Store in the freezer for 3-4 months.

Alternatively, you could slice the log into individual cookies, lay them out on a cookie sheet and freeze for 2-3 hours. Transfer the unbaked cookies into a freezer bag, or air-tight container, and store in the freezer for 3-4 months. Similar to those cookie dough packages you can buy at the grocery store.

Freezing baked cookies

This is what I typically do, to get a head start on my holiday baking.

• After the cookies are baked, cool them to room temperature.
• Freeze in a single layer, on a cookie sheet, for 2-3 hours.
• Place them into a freezer bag, or air-tight container.
• Store in the freezer for 3-4 months.

If you are decorating the cookies, freeze them with the decorations already on. The reason to freeze them separately first is so they do not stick together and freeze into a big clump.

Common Challenges

My shortbread cookies spread in the oven

This is a challenge for shortbread and sugar cookies. To fix this you will need to chill the dough first before baking. Either by placing them in the refrigerator or in the freezer.

Since we slice and bake these cookies straight from the refrigerator, they should be already to go directly into the oven.

My shortbread cookies are crumbly

In general, shortbread are a very delicate cookie. If your cookies are excessively crumbly there are probably one of two things going on. The dough is too dry, or you did not leave the cookies to cool completely on the tray before moving them.

Cookies that are too dry, need more butter added in to bind the dry ingredients together. Add butter in a little at a time until you have a dough that will hold together. Then make sure you let the cookies cool on the tray completely, before moving them.

Sugar for Orange Cardamom Shortbread Cookies

What sugar to use for shortbread cookies. Icing sugar, white sugar, or brown sugar. Well, this is really dependant on the recipe. The sugar does change the texture and the flavour of the cookies.

I have added icing sugar to this recipe in combination with white sugar. Icing sugar contains cornstarch, which gives these cookies a delicate melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Some shortbread recipes add in rice flour to achieve a similar result. But since icing sugar is more readily available, that’s what is used for this recipe.

Brown sugar can also be interchanged with the white sugar in this recipe, if you prefer the flavour.

How to decorate Orange Cardamom Shortbread Cookies

Decorating cookies is a great way to make simple cookies look fun and festive for the holidays! Especially if you are giving them as gifts or taking them to a party.

Candy Melts and White chocolate

I love using candy melts for decorating Christmas cookies. They come in a huge assortment of colours and flavours, perfect for whatever cookies you want to decorate. Melt the wafers according to the package directions.

White chocolate is the perfect flavour for these cookies. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, in short bursts in a microwave, or in a small crockpot.

Dip one side of each cookie into the melted white chocolate or candy melts. Place the cookies onto a piece of plastic wrap spread out on the counter. Sprinkle on a few festive sprinkles. Then, leave until the decoration has cooled and set.

Ingredients for Orange and Cardamom Shortbread Cookies

2 cups of butter, softened 450 g

½ cup white sugar 100 g

½ cup icing sugar 65 g

1 teaspoon orange extract 5 ml

1 teaspoon cardamom 3 g

1½ teaspoons baking powder 7 g

½ teaspoon baking soda 2 g

½ teaspoon salt 2 g

4 cups all-purpose flour 600 g

a few drops of orange food colouring

2 bags White chocolate chips 400 g

sprinkles (optional)

Method

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter until soft.
2. Cream the butter and sugars together until light and creamy. (It should be a very light almost white colour)
3. Mix in the orange extract.
4. Mix in the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, flour and orange food colouring. Mix until the dough just comes together. Don’t over mix the dough or the cookies will become tough.
5. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and form half of the dough into a log shape.
6. Wrap the dough log in the plastic wrap and roll it a few times on the counter to smooth it into a cylinder. Repeat with the second half of the dough.

1. Place the two dough logs in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours, or overnight. Or place the dough in the freezer for 45 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 300 °F (150 °C).
3. Slice the logs into ¼-in. thick cookies. Turn the log every few slices to keep it from becoming flat on one side.
4. Place the cookies onto a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
5. Cool for a few minutes on the tray and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

Decorating

1. Melt the white chocolate or candy melts.
2. Dip one side of the cookie into the melted chocolate. Sprinkle on festive sprinkles. Place the cookie on a piece of plastic wrap, on the counter, to cool and set.

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