Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prepare Your Baking Environment
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This ensures even baking and makes for super easy cleanup later.
Cream Butter & Brown Sugar
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened unsalted butter and packed dark brown sugar on medium speed for 2–3 minutes. Watch for the mixture to become visibly light, fluffy, and pale, indicating that plenty of air has been incorporated. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well combined and no pockets of butter or sugar are left untouched.
Incorporate Wet Ingredients
- Add the room temperature egg, extra egg yolk, whole milk, and vanilla bean paste to the creamed mixture. Mix on low speed just until everything is smooth and fully incorporated. Give the sides of the bowl another scrape to catch any stray ingredients.
Whisk Dry Ingredients
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour (remembering to spoon and level method for accuracy), baking soda, baking powder, fine salt, and a pinch of ground cinnamon. This crucial step ensures that your leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Combine Wet & Dry
- Gradually add the whisked dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the stand mixer on low speed. Mix just until a soft, cohesive dough forms. It's really important not to over-mix here, as doing so can develop too much gluten, which leads to tough, less-than-chewy cookies. Stop the mixer as soon as you see no dry streaks of flour.
Prepare Rolling Sugar
- In a small, shallow bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cardamom for rolling. This sweet and subtly spiced coating adds another layer of flavor and a lovely texture.
Scoop & Roll Dough
- Use a 2½ tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out uniform balls of dough. Consistency in size is key for even baking! Roll each dough ball gently in the cardamom-sugar mixture to coat evenly. Place the coated dough balls onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Bake to Perfection
- Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes. The cookies are ready when their edges are set and lightly golden, but their centers still look slightly soft, puffy, and underbaked. This is the ultimate secret for a truly chewy texture – don't wait for them to look completely set in the middle! Immediately after removing them from the oven, take a large round cookie cutter or the back of a spoon and gently "scoot" the warm cookies into perfectly round shapes. This 'cookie scoot' method is a chef's secret for flawless aesthetics.
Garnish & Cool
- Lightly sprinkle the hot cookies with any remaining cinnamon/cardamom mixture (if desired) and a pinch of Maldon flaky sea salt. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes; this allows them to set properly and develop their ultimate soft and chewy texture. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. They will settle as they cool and become perfectly chewy and so soft!
Nutrition
Notes
Pro Tips for Perfect Cookies: Ensure accurate flour measurement by spooning and leveling or weighing. Avoid over-mixing once dry ingredients are added to prevent tough cookies. Use the "cookie scoot" method immediately after baking for perfectly round cookies. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring. Dark brown sugar and an extra egg yolk are crucial for depth of flavor and chewiness. Storage & Make-Ahead: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days (add a slice of bread for extra softness). Unbaked dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months, then baked from frozen (add 2-4 minutes). Baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat stored or thawed cookies at 300°F (150°C) for 3-5 minutes or microwave for 10-15 seconds. Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.