Handmade Holiday #7: Cardamon Cookies

as promised (sorry, a bit delayed - I've been distracted by the SNOW here in Seattle), the new cardamon cookie recipe:

12 Tbl butter (slightly softened, not quite room temp)
1/3 c. sugar
1-2 Tbl cardamon
2-3 Tbl marzipan (almond paste)
1 egg
1-2 Tbl. vanilla extract
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

cream marzipan, butter, and sugar together. This process will be easier if you rather mash the marzipan between your fingers a bit first. Using rather cold/not-quite-room-temp butter will also make this process easier. Add cardamon and blend to combine.

Add egg and vanilla (again, I highly recommend a potent Mexican vanilla - and again, check label for "no coumarin" before using) and beat to combine.

Add flour, blend until just thoroughly mixed. Roll into a ball, flatten slightly into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm. (The marzipan is going to change the composition of this dough; it will take longer to stiffen in the fridge, it will be stickier when you roll it and thus require a good dusting of flour not only on the rolling pin but on the top of the dough, and will rather quickly become soft and irritating to roll/punch; I recommend that, if at all possible, after rolling once, you re-refrigerate until firm again.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

On a well-floured board, using a floured rolling pin, roll dough out to between 1/4 and 1/8 inch. Cut out with cookie cutters. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 15 min or until just beginning to turn golden at edges.

Cool on rack, enjoy!