Swedish Christmas Cookies
These Swedish Christmas Cookies are delicate, buttery, and infused with fragrant cardamom and lemon zest. The recipe involves quickly processing a soft dough, chilling it into logs, then slicing and baking until golden. Perfect for holiday gifting or entertaining, they offer a delightful balance of flavor and crisp-tender texture, finished with a decorative coating of sanding sugar or toasted pecans.
Equipment
- 1 Food Processor Essential for smooth dough
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl For dry ingredients
- 2 Baking Sheets For baking multiple batches
- 1 Parchment Paper Prevents sticking and aids cleanup
- 1 Wire Rack For cooling cookies evenly
Ingredients
Main
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, at room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- Colored sanding sugars or chopped toasted pecans
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, cardamom, and salt in a bowl.
- Put the butter and confectioners' sugar in a food processor, and process until smooth. Pulse in the egg, vanilla, and lemon zest until combined. Add the flour mixture and process to make a soft buttery dough. Divide the dough in half onto 2 (12-inch long) sheets of plastic wrap. Using the plastic, shape into rough logs. Refrigerate the dough logs for 30 minutes until just firm enough to shape into uniform logs, 8-inches long by 2-inches in diameter. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Scatter either the sanding sugars or toasted nuts on a work surface and roll the logs until completely coated. Cut into 1/4-inch thick cookies and space about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until golden around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cookies on the pan on wire racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Achieving the correct dough consistency is paramount; ensure butter is truly at room temperature and chill the dough logs thoroughly, ideally overnight, for easier handling and clean slices. This also prevents spreading during baking, yielding crispier edges. When rolling in sugar or nuts, apply gentle, even pressure to ensure a uniform coating. Monitor baking closely; cookies are done when edges are just golden, as overbaking can result in a dry texture. For enhanced flavor, consider toasting the ground cardamom lightly before use to deepen its aromatic profile, or adding a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.