Cardamom Butter Squares

• cookies
• all-purpose flour↗3 cups
• baking powder↗1 teaspoon
• salt↗3⁄4 teaspoon
• ground cardamom↗1 1⁄2 teaspoons
• ground cinnamon↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• ground allspice1⁄4 teaspoon
• unsalted butter↗1 cup

  softened

• granulated sugar↗1 1⁄4 cups
• large eggs↗2
• vanilla↗1 teaspoon
• icing for cookies
• instant espresso powder↗1 teaspoon
• vanilla↗1 teaspoon
• milk↗1 1⁄2 - 2 tablespoons
• cup confectioners' sugar↗1
• ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted↗3

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice in a bowl.

2. 2

   Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes in a stand mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 4 minutes with a handheld. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture until just combined.

3. 3

   Form dough into 2 (12-inch) logs (1 1/2 inches in diameter), each on its own sheet of plastic wrap. Use plastic wrap and your hands to roll, press, and square off sides of logs. Chill logs on a baking sheet until slightly firm, about 1 hour, then smooth logs with plastic wrap and flat side of a ruler to achieve straight sides. Chill logs on baking sheet until firm, about 1 hour.

4. 4

   Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F.

5. 5

   Cut enough scant 1/4-inch-thick slices from a log with a knife to fill 2 large ungreased baking sheets, arranging slices about 1 inch apart (chill remaining dough, wrapped in plastic wrap).

6. 6

   Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes total. Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Make more cookies with remaining dough on cooled baking sheets.

7. 7

   Whisk together espresso powder, vanilla, and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk until espresso powder is dissolved, then add confectioners sugar and enough additional milk to make a thick but pourable icing. Spoon into a sealable bag and snip 1/8 inch off a bottom corner.

8. 8

   Spoon melted chocolate into another sealable bag and snip 1/8 inch off a bottom corner.

9. 9

   Pipe some espresso icing and chocolate over each cookie and let cookies stand on racks until icing sets, about 2 hours.

10. 10

    • Dough logs can be chilled 5 days or frozen, wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap, 1 month (thaw in refrigerator just until they can be sliced).

11. 11

    • Cookies (with or without icing) keep, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment, in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.