Orange Cardamom Butter Cookies w/Angostura Royal Icing

Happy Friday!

Hard to believe we're already five days into December but here we are and I'm super excited to share these cookies with you all for a couple of reasons. First of all, they were inspired by two bloggers whom I love! Graham over at Glazed and Confused shared a recipe for his awesome orange cardamom butter cookies a while back and I've been dying to try them ever since. And then the lovely Carey (not Carrie) of Reclaiming Provincial recently had me swooning over her gorgeous mini nutmeg-crème fraîche bundt cakes with Angostura glaze and Angostura has been on my mind since then. Now here's where it gets fun. I thought, I love both of these recipes (and bloggers), why not put the two together. And that was that. 

Now, I know for a fact that orange and angostura go hand in hand (just try an old fashioned if you don't believe me) and Carey proved that spices and Angostura are a marriage made in heaven (also stemmed from a cocktail--just another reason why cocktails are fabulous). Therefore, the only logical thing to do was to combine the three (orange, angostura, and spices) and throw a little butter, sugar, and eggs into the equation. The result was nothing short of magic. If you're a little weary about the Angostura, maybe thinking it's not your cup of tea, feel free to skip it and go with a more traditional icing. But if you're feeling bold, or if you're like me and love it, ice away. What you can't see in these photos is that I also piped lines on the backs of my cookies because I loved the flavor of the icing so much! 

P.s. Don't forget to check back later today for the round up of this week's packaging flair. Christmas is only 20 days away, and I hear cookies make excellent gifts.  x 

Orange Cardamom Butter Cookie w/Angostura Royal Icing

Slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen, Glazed and Confused, & THIS

Makes around 40 cookies

INGREDIENTS

COOKIES

• 16 Tbsp. (8 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
• 2 tsp. orange zest
• 1 tsp. ground cardamom
• 2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour (plus more for rolling out dough)

ICING

• 2 Tbsp. meringue powder

• 1 Tbsp. water

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Angostura bitters

• 1/2 lb. powdered sugar

• 1/2 tsp. light corn syrup 

TOOLS

• Baking sheets
• Silpat mat or parchment paper
• Stand mixer
• Silicone spatula
• Whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Plastic wrap
• Sifter
• Rolling pin
• 2" round cutter
• Wire cooling racks
• Piping bag
• 1/8" or smaller pastry tip

  FIX

COOKIES

1. In the bowl of stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter at medium speed until it is smooth. Add sifted confectioners’ sugar and beat until mixture is smooth. Beat in the egg yolks, salt, cardamom, vanilla bean paste, and orange zest and beat until fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add flour, beating just combined. Remove bowl from mixer and blend in any remaining flour with spatula. Turn dough out onto work surface, lined with plastic wrap, forming a ball and dividing it into half. Form each ball into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 45 minutes to an hour. 
2. Line baking sheets with silpat mats or parchment paper and set aside. Very lightly flour work surface and roll out first disk to 1/3" thickness. . Using 2" round cutter, cut out as many rounds as you can and place on first line sheet, leaving 3/4" space between each round. Cover sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Repeat with the second disk and remaining scraps until all the dough has been used. If dough gets too soft to roll out or cut, simply place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to firm up again.
3. Position oven racks to upper and lower thirds and preheat to 350°F.
4. Bake the cookies for 14-17 minutes, or until they are set (light brown on the edges) but not browned all over. Cool on sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to cooling racks to cool to room temperature.

ICING

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer whisk together meringue powder, water and Angosturawith whisk (by hand) until foamy.
2. Attach bowl to stand, sift in powdered sugar and beat on low to combine.
3. Add corn syrup and increase speed to medium/high. Beat for about 5 minutes until glossy, hard peaks form (make sure not to over beat).
4. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with 1/8" (or smaller if you want to make extra intricate designs) tip and pipe onto your cookie rounds.
5. Let icing dry completely.
6. Serve and enjoy or package and gift!