Chocolate dipped pistachio and cardamom cookies

I love ANY excuse to make yummy little cookies. Especially ones that look difficult, but aren't really at all. November's Cookie Swap (a joint Sugar High Friday and IMBB event) give me just that excuse.

These little cookies are just the right size for the holidays, that is they are small enough to have more than one without making you feel sick about all the butter and sugar. They package up very nicely as well. You can make a big batch of the basic dough and add in little extras for a few varieties of really elegant, and totally different tasting cookies. In addition to the two "flavours" I made: pistachio & cardamom and candied ginger the possibilities are endless: dried cranberry & orange, chocolate & cinnamon, peppermint, toffee, almond and cherry, lemon & lavender.... the list really is endless.

Chocolate dipped cardamom pistachio and candied ginger cookies

Makes 30 of each flavour (60 total)

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 cup packed golden sugar
• 2 tablespoons cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 + 3/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/3 + 1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios
• 1/3 + 1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger
• 3 squares semisweet baking chocolate
• 1/2 tablespoon vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 375F

Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of your upright mixer. Add milk, vanilla, baking soda and beat to combine. Add in flour and third at a time, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl a few times during the process as needed.  Turn off machine, remove dough and separate into two halve. Put one half back into he mixer and add in the cardamom and pistachio. Mix thoroughly. Remove the pistachio dough and pop the second half of the basic dough into the mixer. Add in chopped ginger and mix to combine thoroughly.

Roll out each dough onto waxed paper, using a little flour to stop it from sticking to the rolling pin if necessary. Roll each ball out in roughly a rectangle shape until it is no more than 2 millimetres thick. Using a standard plastic ruler or a piece of cardboard cut into a strip 4 cm by 25 cm use a sharp knife to carefully cut the dough into little 4 cm by 4 cm squares using the ruler or cardboard strip as a guide.

Use the flat of a sharp and wide knife to pick up each cookie square and transfer to a cookie sheet. Bake for 6 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet.

Melt chocolate and shortening together until quite runny. I do mine in the microwave, on medium heat for 30 second bursts stirring between each. This way it takes about 2 minutes. You can do it in the double boiler if you like.

Dip each cookie diagonally into the melted chocolate and allow excess to drip off. Place the dipped cookie on waxed paper and sprinkle the chocolate gently with a little minced pistachio or ginger, depending on the type of cookie. If you find that your ginger pieces stick together too much, try rubbing them together between your hands with a bit of powdered dried ginger to encourage them not to stick together.

Comments

[Papilles et Pupilles]

They seems wonderful. And the photos are amazing.
I've got a pb with "3 squares semisweet baking chocolate"
Is it possible to know the weight ? or the size ?
thks

[Mijo]

I'm so hungry now !!!

[Stephanie]

My two guys are sitting on the couch, sick (of course), and when I read the title of this post, I heard 'ooooh'.

I think I'm going to copy that recipe, Lyn!

[Lyn]

Papilles,
each square of baking chocolate is 1 oz. (28 grams)

Mijo,
Me too. Even though I ate the last one with my coffee this morning.

Stephanie,
That's the best compliment I've had all day!
If you've got too sick guys at home, I can imagine that you'll need all the cookies for yourself just to get through it!

[Papilles et Pupilles]

thk you so much Stéphanie. I will try your recipe, they are so yummy

[paula]

You've inspired me to bake this weekend. I love the flavour of cardamom and chocolate together, so I am sure I will love these cookies. Thanks for the recipe!

[Lynne]

I am printing out this one.
Great Photos!

[Nupur]

They look too pretty to eat! Wonderful photos too!

[tanvi]

Lyn, your cookies look irrestible! I love the pictured combination of pistachios and chocolate, but the orange-cranberry sounds wonderful as well. Is the cookie a sugar cookie, or more of a crisp biscuit?

[Nic]

These sound so delicious, Lyn. Great combination of flavors and great look!

[Lyn]

Tanvi,

It's really more of a sugar cookie. They are a little chewy with crispy edges. The ginger ones are chewier because 0f the moist ginger.

[jasmine]

I am definitely making these -- really good photos and they look like the perfect "pick me up".

jasmine

[Sarah Lou]

These would look perfect as a cookie gift. I am always looking for new ideas to give to family and friends.

[Luisa]

These look totally lovely - and I love the idea of chocolate and cardamom together! I can't wait to try them - thanks for drawing my attention to this recipe!

[Rorie]

These cookies look delicious - I am definitely going to try these!

[Lady Amalthea]

These look wonderful and I love all the flavor options you tantalize us with!

[Claudia]

These cookies really look delicious and really spicy! I'll definately try them!

[Elizabeth]

Wonderful recipe. I am making these today! One thing I would love would be an opportunity to reformat the recipe posted here automatically before printing it . Thanks. Elizabeth

[Paige]

I used your pistachio/cardamom idea with a different cookie type, and they turned out fabulously. Thanks for the (constant) inspiration!

My cookies: http://chef-girl.net/?p=54

[Maia]

These cookies inspired me to make a cake with same flavors. I haven't tried the cookies yet, though I plan to, they look amazing! If you're interested in the cake, the recipe and a photo are here:

http://papayamessiah.livejournal.com/4073.html

love and chocolate,

-maia

[Traca]

These made it into my holiday cookie rotation. Loved them! The candied ginger variety was definitely a favorite. Mmm...

[Trina]

I have a question. The recipe call for 1 + 3/4 cups flour. I'm assuming that means 1 cup for the dough and 3/4 cup for rolling? Just checking...
Also, how many cookies does it make?
Thanks!

[lyn]

Trina - nope. all that flour is for the cookies. You'll need extra for rolling.

[sarine]

I made two batches already! they came out really good. I made ginger , pistachio andddd cardamom cookies, all in one.
are they supposed to be chewy or crunchy?
-So exctied Sarine

[sixty-five]

I saved this recipe when it first appeared, and was just now thinking of making them. But what, please, is "golden sugar"? Light brown? Demerera? Something else?