After falling in love with Oleander & Palm’s shortbread we made last year on Episode 61: London Fog Shortbread and Communal Ovens in Morocco, I’ve become a shortbread addict. This version is my favorite so far. The flavors of orange and cardamom are such a festive combination at the holidays.

The recipe has been adapted slightly from Oleander & Palm.

NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS FROM ANDREA

*I used desiccated cardamom, purchased at my local spice store. That way I end up with little pods which are pretty in the shortbread. You could also use powdered cardamom, or take the seeds from cardamom pods and grind them yourself in a mortar & pestle.

**Fiori di Sicilia is an orange flavoring I purchase from King Arthur Flour.

***If you like your shortbread cookies thicker, roll to 1/4 inch and bump up the cooking time to 11 – 12 minutes.

Ingredients

1 Cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

2/3 Cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste

1/2 Teaspoon desiccated cardamom, ground*

1/2 Teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia**

zest of one orange

1 3/4 Cup flour, sifted

1/2 Teaspoon salt

Instructions

Cut the butter into cubes and place into a bowl of a stand mixer. Sift 2/3 cups powdered sugar into the butter. Mix until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary.

Mix in the vanilla, cardamom, Fiori di Sicilia, and orange zest.

Add 1 tsp. salt to 1 3/4 cups flour. Sift into the butter mixture. Mix until it holds together.

Shape the dough into flat discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness.*** Cut into shapes and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Refrigerate another 20 minutes.

Bake cookies about 9 minutes, just until the edges have lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.