Citrus Cardamom Holiday Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• Raw sugar

Directions

Whisk flour, cardamom, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in finely grated orange peel and vanilla. Add egg; beat to blend.

Add 1/3 of flour mixture; beat on low speed just to blend. Add remaining flour in 2 additions, beating on low speed just until blended.

Refrigerate until firm enough to shape, about 1 hour. Then, divide dough into two balls. Flatten the balls into disks and wrap in plastic. Chill until firm enough to roll out, about 45 minutes.

Before baking, let chilled dough stand at room temperature until soft enough to roll out, about 15 minutes. Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured surface to generous 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out cookies using festive cookie cutters. Carefully transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake cookies until light golden brown, about 16 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking for even cooking. Carefully slide parchment paper with cookies onto racks to cool completely.

Notes

You may use any citrus zest you would like!

Dough can be prepared 1 day ahead.

Both citrus and cardamom can be doubled, if you’d like.

When baking one batch, gather remaining dough scraps into a ball. Flatten, cover, and freeze this dough until firm enough to roll out again, for about 10 minutes.