Cardamom Shortbread Cookies

Reasons to love

• Irresistible Texture – Crisp, tender, and they melt in your mouth with every bite.
• Completely Egg-Free – A perfect eggless cookie for those avoiding eggs without compromising on flavor or texture.
• Bold Cardamom Flavor – We don’t hold back! Made with a full tablespoon of freshly ground green cardamom pods, these elaichi biscuits are deeply aromatic.
• Holiday-Perfect – The biscuit dough can be frozen for up to 2 months, making it an easy, make-ahead Christmas cookie. Just slice and bake the day before!
• Only 4 Ingredients – A fuss-free, slice-and-bake butter cookie recipe that’s simple yet impressive.

Tips for making the perfect cardamom shortbread

The secret to good shortbread cookies is a crisp snap when you break them, yet they melt tenderly in your mouth. Here’s how to nail that perfect texture and flavor:

Use high-quality butter – With just a few ingredients, butter is key to both texture and taste.

Use powdered sugar — also known as confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar, it blends smoothly into the dough, thanks to its fine texture and added cornstarch, which also helps prevent them from spreading too much as they bake.

Grind cardamom finely – Make sure to grind elaichi very fine and sift out any bits of the green outer pod. Large pieces can affect the texture and mouthfeel. (refer to our blog post on how to make caradmom powder at home)

Don’t overmix the dough – Overmixing activates gluten, which can lead to tough cookies. Mix just until the dough comes together for a delicate, crumbly texture.

Chill the dough overnight – Refrigerating the biscuit dough for several hours (or overnight) ensures they hold the shape while baking.

Slice evenly – Use a sharp knife to cut uniform slices so all shortbreads bake evenly and finish at the same time.

Cool completely before storing – Let them cool fully on a wire rack before transferring to a container. This keeps them crisp and prevents moisture from building up.

• Use powdered sugar – It creates a melt-in-your-mouth texture and helps prevent spreading, thanks to the cornstarch content.
• Use unsalted butter – Make sure it’s softened to room temperature for easy mixing.
• Grind fresh cardamom – Also known as elaichi in India, freshly ground cardamom has a stronger, more aromatic flavor than store-bought powder.
• Chill if needed – If the cardamom shortbread cookie dough is too soft to roll, refrigerate for 20–40 minutes before shaping into a log.

 More Sweet recipes using cardamom

Wondering how to use cardamom? From Indian sweets to cozy baking recipe ideas, these easy cardamom recipes are full of warm flavor and guaranteed to impress.

• Cashew snowball cookies are eggless, buttery, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Packed with cashew nuts and flavored with ground cardamom, they are perfect for Christmas or anytime.
• Almond halwa with almond flour is a quick and easy take on classic Badam Halwa. Made with ground cardamom and saffron, this indulgent Indian dessert comes together in minutes.
• Chai mug cake is like enjoying a hot cup of chai with a spoon! A soft and fluffy cake infused with chai and complimented with ground cardamom and ginger, it tastes exactly like Indian chai. 
• Rasmalai Tres Leches cake is the ultimate dessert mashup of Indian Rasmalai and Mexican Tres Leches cake!
• Eggless Kulfi ice cream cake consists of a soft pistachio cake layered with creamy kulfi and cardamom whipped cream. 
• Kulfi recipe is made using only 5 ingredients, it is super easy to make without no ice cream maker.