Chocolate Chip Cookies get a makeover in this Orange Cardamom Cookies recipe. These gooey cookies have everything you love about chocolate chip cookies; soft and chewy texture, tons of white chocolate chips, craisins, and walnuts.
Why This Recipe Works
What makes these Cardamom Cookies unique is the fact that they are flavored with orange zest and cardamom. Sometimes the little details make all the difference!
When you live with a cookie monster, like I do, you bake a lot of cookies. It's either that or the cookie monster manages to sneak them into the grocery cart when you're not looking.
At least this is the case in our home. My husband, Scott, LOVES sweets, especially cookies and ice cream. So when I do bake cookies, I set a few aside, because most likely there will be no trace of them in a few hours.
I thought I was outsmarting him by coming up with this Orange Cardamom Cookies recipe. Scott didn't want me to add the cardamom, orange zest, or walnuts. He wanted classic chocolate chip cookies.
I thought I'd have them all to myself for a change. But it turns out he loves Orange Cardamom Cookies, even with walnuts! So I guess I'll keep hiding a few to enjoy at a later time...shhh, it's our secret!
What Goes Into This Recipe
Recipe Ingredient Notes
- Cardamom — Of course, Cardamom Cookies have cardamom. Cardamom comes in different forms including pods, seeds, and ground. The pods are green and contain tiny black seeds inside. We will be using ground cardamom to make these Orange Cardamom Cookies. Ground cardamom is made by grinding the seeds or whole cardamom pods into a fine powder.
- Craisins — Craisins are dried cranberries and come in a variety of flavors including orange. Any flavor can be used, although orange would suit this recipe well. You can also substitute raisins if you prefer.
- Walnuts — Walnuts are delicious in the recipe but other nuts can be substituted including pecans and pistachios.
How to Make Orange Cardamom Cookies
Preheat oven to 375-degree F.
Beat butter and shortening in a stand-up mixer until creamy.
Add both sugars, cardamom, baking soda, salt, and orange zest. Beat the mixture until fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla until incorporated then add the flour. Mix until combined.
Finally, mix in the Craisins, white chocolate, and walnuts.
Divide the dough into (24) 1 tablespoon portions.
Evenly space 12 portions of the cardamom cookie dough on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Place the cookies in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill the dough. This step is optional but results in less spread.
Place the cookie sheet in the center rack of the oven and bake for 8 minutes, until the edges are light brown.
The center will look undone but that's the secret to having gooey cookies.
Allow to rest for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Recipe FAQ's and Expert Tips
Orange Cookies are cookies that have an orange flavor. This can be accomplished in various ways. One way is to add orange zest in with the batter.
Another way to give cookies an orange flavor is to add some fresh orange juice to the batter. Orange essence or oil is yet another way to introduce orange flavor into the cookie dough.
Preheat oven to 375-degrees F.
Remove Cookies from the freezer and evenly distribute on a cookie tray lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
When the oven has come up to temperature, place the cookie sheet in the center rack of the oven.
Bake for 9 minutes. Don't overcook, even if you think they don't "look ready." The cookies will be perfect once they've cooled off for a few minutes.
I bake 12 cookies and place 12 on a plate and freeze them for later. Once frozen, I store them in a small Ziplock bag to bake at a later date.
- If you prefer a crispier cookie, cook the cardamom cookies one or two minutes longer.
- If you don't have cardamom, use cinnamon instead.
Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Orange Cardamom Cookies
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 tablespoon shortening
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1½ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda (plus ⅛th tsp.)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup Craisins
- â…“ cup white chocolate chips
- â…“ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375-degree F.
- Beat butter and shortening in a stand-up mixer until creamy.
- Add both sugars, cardamom, baking soda, orange zest, and salt. Beat the mixture until fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Beat in the eggs and vanilla until incorporated then add the flour. Mix until combined.
- Finally, stir in the Craisins, white chocolate, and walnuts.
- Divide the dough into (24) 1 tablespoon portions.
- Evenly space 12 portions of cookie dough on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Place the cookies in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill the dough. This step is optional but results in less spread.
- Place the cookie sheet in the center rack of the oven and bake for 8 minutes, until the edges are light brown.Â
- The center will look undone but will result in moist and gooey cookies.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- I bake 12 cookies and place 12 on a plate and freeze them for later. Once frozen, I store them in a small Ziplock bag to bake at a later date.
- If you prefer a crispier cookie, cook one or two minutes longer.Â
- Raisins may be substituted for Craisins.
- If you prefer, you can replace half of the cardamom with cinnamon.
Kelly Methey says
These sound wonderfully delicious! Can’t wait to try them!
HildaSterner says
Thanks, I know you'll love them!