For a couple of years, I have debated how I could make the snickerdoodle more mine and not the classic. I like orange and cardamom together, so this might be a good combination.
They came out rather well, and I did not have to adjust the ingredients or redo them very often before finding the flavors I wanted. These are easy to make and take little time to bake.
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Ingredients
Jump to Recipe for AmountsCookie Dough
- Butter unsalted
- Sugar white
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Orange juice
- Orange zest
- All-purpose flour
- Cream of tarter
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
Coating
- Sugar white
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cardamom
Making Snickerdoodles
There is only a little to prep for these cookies. I weighed the sugar and set the bowl aside. Then, I weighed the flour and added the baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. I always run a whisk through the dry ingredients to blend them.
Next, I zest the orange into a bowl. Then, I cut the orange in half and juice both halves. That is it; it's time to mix.
You want your butter at room temperature so there is little resistance when cutting the stick into slices. This is an easy way to tell. I mix this for a minute or two before adding the sugar.
Next, add the sugar and mix for 2 or 3 minutes to give the butter and sugar a chance to blend together.
Now, add the vanilla extract, orange juice, and zest. I take one of the eggs and break it into a small dish (to ensure no egg shells) before adding it to the cookie dough. Then, I repeat with the other egg. If your cookie dough looks like it has separated, it is only because the eggs were cold. Everything comes together when the flour is added.
Scrape down the sides and across the bottom. Then turn the mixer onto a low speed and gradually add the flour mixture. Just mix until the flour is incorporated. You don't want to overmix. No more than a minute to get the flour mixed in, start to finish.
I chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes. This makes it easier for me to roll the dough into a ball with my hands and coat it with cinnamon, cardamom, and sugar.
Coating and Baking
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C). Now, I set up my scooping and coating station. Start with lining two cookie sheet pans with parchment paper.
Mix the sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom into a cereal-size bowl. Grab the cookie dough out of the fridge. I use a medium-sized cookie scooper for this cookie.
Try and make your cookie balls all about the same size. They will bake more evenly that way.
Using the scooper, scoop some of the cookie dough and form it into a ball using your hands. Drop it into the sugar mixture and make sure it is well coated the whole way around. I put 12 on a sheet pan and lightly press down on the top of each ball so they do not roll around when I pick up the pan.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, start to check after 10 minutes. Once they are out of the oven move them to a cooling rack, They should come off the parchment paper easily.
Enjoy!
FAQ's
I put them in a container with a tight-fitting lid. After about three days, they started to dry out, so I added a slice of bread to add moisture back into the cookies. This is a quick fix.
Yes, you can keep the cookie dough in the refrigerator for about 24 hours before baking the cookies. Just make sure it is covered, I use plastic wrap.
Other Orange Cookies
Recipe
Orange Cardamom Snickerdoodle Cookies
Barbara HallWould you like to save this recipe?
Ingredients
COOKIE DOUGH
- 1 cup (227 g) Butter unsalted
- 1 ¼ cups (250 g) Sugar white
- 2 (1) Eggs
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) Vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoon Orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon Orange zest
- 2 ¾ cups (333.33 g) All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon (2 teaspoon) Cream of tarter
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) Kosher salt
COATING
- ⅓ cup (66.67 g) Sugar white
- 1 ½ Tablespoon (1 Tablespoon) Ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Ground cardamom
Instructions
COOKIE DOUGH
- Weigh or measure the sugar into a bowl and set it aside. Weigh or measure the flour, then add the baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Run a whisk through to blend. Zest and juice the orange into separate bowls.
- Cream the butter on a medium mixer speed for a minute or two. Add the sugar and mix for 2 to 3 minutes until blended well. Scrape down the bowl and add the vanilla extract, orange juice, and orange zest.
- Break one of the eggs in a small bowl before adding it to the cookie dough. This will allow you to remove any eggshells before adding them to the dough. Then, repeat with the second egg. Scrape the bowl sides, then gradually add the flour mixture on a low mixer speed. Once mixed, cover and chill for 30 minutes.
COATING AND BAKING
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C). Line 2 cookie sheet pans with parchment paper. You will also need a cookie scooper to make it easy.
- Mix the sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in a bowl. Scoop out some cookie dough and make a ball using your hands. Roll and cover completely with the sugar mixture. Place 12 coated cookie balls on the sheet pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes and move to a cooling rack once out of the oven.
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NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
John
What a delightfully delicious cookie this is! I've now made this cookie twice, once exactly and written (my grandlings' favorite variation), and once more, playing with the flavors, as you have encouraged me to do. For the second go around, I added cardamom and a good amount of clove directly into to the cookie dough. (Something about those oranges studded with cloves we used to make 70 years or so ago at Christmas time was calling me, I think.) The result was a very different cookie, of course, but also quite delicious. Thank you once again, Barbara, for being my baking guide!
Barbara
Hi John, I am so glad you are learning to make my cookies yours. Some of the best cookies come from adding flavors that you remember from your childhood. Thank you for sharing your memories. - Barbara