These soft and chewy cardamom cookies are a spin on a classic snickerdoodle. They have soft centers, lightly crisp edges, and that irresistible chew, but with cardamom stepping in for cinnamon. I love the gentle citrusy warmth and subtle floral notes that ground cardamom brings to these cookies, making them a bit more intriguing than the original.
If you love thin and chewy cookies with subtle spice, these are a must-bake!
Why you’ll love these cookies
- Thin, chewy, and soft with lightly crisp edges
- Cardamom-forward flavor that’s warm, floral, and gently spiced
- Classic snickerdoodle texture and flavor thanks to cream of tartar
- Simple & quick to throw together
- No chilling required!
Recipe overview
⏱️ Prep: ~10 mins • Bake: 9-11 mins • Total: ~20 minutes
🍪 Yield: About 36 cookies
💪 Skill level: Beginner
😋 Flavor profile: Warm, aromatic, lightly sweet, floral, citrusy. Pairs well with: Coffee, chai, vanilla, citrus zest, brown butter.
How to make cardamom cookies
These cookies follow the classic snickerdoodle method, including the addition of cream of tartar, which gives them that signature tang and tender chew. However, swapping the cinnamon for cardamom completely changes the vibe. The spice is softer and more complex, with subtle notes of citrus.
If you love my Vanilla Lilac Snickerdoodles, this recipe lives in the same family — familiar, nostalgic, but just a little unexpected and elevated.
You can find the full ingredients list and detailed recipe instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here’s a quick step-by-step overview:
- Mix dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream the sugar, cardamom, & butter. Mix cardamom and sugar briefly until aromatic, then beat in softened butter until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs & vanilla. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Combine wet and dry. Gently mix in dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.
- Roll and coat. Scoop dough into balls and roll in cardamom sugar. I like to flatten them lightly before baking so they bake up a bit thinner.
- Bake. Bake until the edges are just set and the centers look slightly underdone.
Pro baking tips for perfect cardamom snickerdoodles
Don’t overbake. Pull the cookies while the centers are still soft for the best texture.
Use freshly ground cardamom if you want to take the flavor up a notch — it makes a noticeable difference in aroma and flavor.
Pan-banging optional (but encouraged). A quick bang halfway through baking helps to create the perfect texture and spread.
Variations & substitutions
Make brown butter cardamom cookies: Brown the butter first for a lightly caramelized, nutty flavor.
Add citrus: A teaspoon or two of orange or lemon zest added to the dough is a lovely complement to the cardamom.
Use vanilla sugar: Replace all of the sugar in the recipe with vanilla sugar. It’s my favorite way to make these cookies!
Add more spices: If you want these cookies to have a more complex spice profile, feel free to add cinnamon and/or nutmeg as well. Or, use a chai spice (see my Chai Spice Crinkle Cookies for a spice blend recipe).
Storage & make-ahead tips
Store cardamom cookies at room temperature. To keep them moist and soft, it’s best to store the baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To freeze the dough: Scoop cookie dough balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen solid, move cookie dough balls to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen (they may take an extra minute or two to bake).
To freeze baked cookies: Make sure you let the baked cookies cool completely before storing. Store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature.
Other cookie recipes you’ll love:
- Lemon Fennel Pollen Sugar Cookies
- Chai Spice Crinkle Cookies
- Vanilla Lilac Snickerdoodles
- Chamomile Shortbread Cookies
- Douglas Fir Cookies
If you make these Soft & Chewy Cardamom Cookies, please leave a comment & star rating. Thank you so much!
Cardamom Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅓ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 8 ounces unsalted butter, soft room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For rolling:
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350° F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Bake for 9-11 minutes.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 ¾ cups flour, 1 ½ tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt.
- Make cookie dough: Combine 1 ⅓ cups sugar with 2 tsp cardamom, mixing for a minute or two, until fragrant. Add 8 oz soft butter; cream until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between and mixing until combined thoroughly. Add 1 tsp vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients, mixing gently on low just until combined.
- Roll & coat: In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup sugar with ½ tsp cardamom. Scoop cookie dough into balls using a small spring-loaded scoop or a spoon (about 1 ½ tablespoons each). Roll each cookie dough ball into cardamom sugar, tossing to coat. Place on prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake cookies until edges are set but centers still look just slightly underdone, about 9-11 minutes. Cool for a few minutes on baking sheet, then move to cooling racks.
Notes
Did you try this recipe?
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