These cardamom thumbprint cookies with mango curd are Indian-inspired cookies based on mango lassi. They have a sweet mango curd that is paired with a decadent and creamy shortbread cookie.
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Why this recipe works
- The cornstarch and chilling time in the cookie recipe help prevent the thumbprints from spreading.
- The dough is made with cardamom powder and rolled in a cardamom sugar to help give it an extra sweet and floral taste.
- The mango curd is sweet but has a bit of tang and is paired with a shortbread-esque cookie, making for a well-balanced and addictive cookie that is inspired by the tart and sweet flavors of mango lassi.
These cookies are the perfect snack or dessert. They are a great addition to add to your Indian-inspired holiday cookie boxes or homemade Diwali dessert boxes.
Mango Curd
Make this sweet and tangy homemade mango curd to fill the center of these cookies!
Tips for making thumbprints
- Creaming the butter and sugar ensures a cookie that is super buttery. Make sure to periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that all the ingredients get mixed together evenly.
- It is very important to chill the dough at various parts of this recipe. Chilling the dough right after it is formed is important to prevent it from getting sticky and hard to work with. It is important to chill it again to ensure that cookie doesn't spread or leak out the butter when it first goes into the oven.
- Take time to roll the thumbprint dough into a smooth ball. If the ball that you create has cracks, then the resulting cookie will also have cracks.
- Roll the cookies in a cardamom sugar for extra crunchy texture and floral taste.
- Use your thumb to gently press holes in the center of the thumbprint. Use a pinching motion to make the center wider. Its similar to making a pinch pot in pottery if you have ever done that. Pinching helps close the cracks that will inevitably form in the cookie.
- If the mango curd is too thick, warm it in 10-second intervals until it is slightly runny and easier to spoon into the cookies.
- Rotate the baking pan halfway through the cook time to ensure that all the cookies cook evenly. The back and top of the oven are hotter than the front, so moving the sheet trays helps ensure an even cook.
- Look for the cookies to start browning on the edges and remove immediately.
Equipment
- Standmixer or electric hand-held mixer - You need one of these two appliances to be able to whip the butter and sugar together.
- Parchment paper
- Sheet trays
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The cookies will last covered at room temperature for a week. They can alternatively be frozen for 2-3 months if tightly wrapped and thawed when ready to eat. If you are shipping them across the country for a holiday cookie box, I prefer to freeze the cookies and add them directly into the box frozen and wrapped with parchment paper to absorb any additional moisture.
FAQ
What can I do with the extra mango curd?
Add the mango curd to scones, English muffins, toast, or a yogurt parfait. You can alternatively add it on top of saffron pistachio meringue cookies.
Can I make these without the mango curd?
Yes you can! Add the jam, jelly, preserve, or curd of your preference to the cookie instead.
How long will the cookies last?
The cookies will last covered at room temperature for a week. They can alternatively be frozen for 2-3 months if tightly wrapped and thawed when ready to eat.
Related
Looking for other dessert recipes like this? Try these:
Cardamom Thumbprints with Mango Curd
These cardamom thumbprint cookies with mango curd are Indian-inspired cookies based on mango lassi. They have a sweet mango curd that is paired with a decadent and creamy shortbread cookie.
Product Reccs
Ingredients
Dough
- 12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ⅔ cup (140 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon (3 g) cardamom powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Coating
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
Filling
- ½ cup mango curd
Instructions
- Cream the butter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a handheld beater, add the softened 12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter, ⅔ cup (140 g) granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat the ingredients on medium speed until the butter and sugar are combined into a creamy and fluffy mixture.
- Mix together the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix together the 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch, ¾ teaspoon (3 g) cardamom powder, and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt until all the dry ingredients are well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed. Mix until the flour is fully incorporated and there are no longer any flour spots remaining in the bowl. The mixture will look crumbly but there shouldn’t be any dry flour remaining.
- Carefully tip the contents of the bowl onto a clean working surface. Use your hands to press and form the dough into a rough mass. Use plastic wrap to tightly wrap the cookie dough.
- Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. It is crucial to chill the dough; otherwise, it will spread too much in the oven.
- Make cardamom sugar: In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon cardamom powder until combined.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for the shaped cookies to rest on.
- Shape cookies: Scoop 1 tablespoon (15g) of cookie dough and roll it into a smooth ball. The smoother you roll the ball, the less likely the balls will form cracks when you make an indent in them.
- Roll the balls in the cardamom sugar and place them on the baking sheet at least 1.5 inches apart as the cookies will spread slightly.
- Use your thumb to make an indent in the center of the dough ball. Use a pinching motion to widen the indent and help fix any cracks that form.
- Fill the center indent of each cookie with ~½ teaspoon of mango curd. If the mango curd is hard to spoon into the cookie, warm the curd in the microwave for ~10 seconds.
- Place the cookie trays in the fridge for 15 minutes. The key is to keep the cookie dough cold throughout this whole process.
- While the cookie dough chills, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place the cookies on the middle rack of the oven for 11-13 minutes, turning the sheet trays around at the halfway point (~6 minutes). Remove the cookies from the oven and let sit on the sheet tray for another 5 minutes to cool before moving them to a cooling rack.
- Enjoy once the cookies have cooled. They store at room temperature for a week or last for 2-3 months in the freezer if tightly wrapped. The cookies can be thawed when ready to eat!
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Nutrition
Calories: 91kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 26mgPotassium: 9mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 117IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.3mg
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