Cardamom Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (1/2 lb.) butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark molasses
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. 1. In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add molasses and beat until well blended.
2. 2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cardamom, and cinnamon. Stir or beat into butter mixture until well blended. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill until dough is firm, about 1 hour.
3. 3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. With lightly floured hands, roll each ball into a rope about 2 1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch thick; bend each rope into a horseshoe. Place cookies about 2 inches apart on cooking parchment-lined or buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.
4. 4. Bake cookies in a 350° oven just until edges begin to brown, 7 to 9 minutes; if baking two pans at a time, switch their positions halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on pans for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer to racks to cool completely.
5. Nutritional analysis is per cookie.