Author Notes
Soft and chewy is the only way to go with sugar cookies, and this one definitely fits the bill. The pink peppercorn and dash of spices give the cookies a warm glow that pairs rather nicely with the turbinado sugar crust on the outside. Side note: you can crush the pepper in a mortar and pestle or peppermill, or just put them in a ziploc bag and bash them with a heavy pot :) —arielleclementine
Test Kitchen Notes
In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I have never been a big sugar cookie fan. Stick an array of cookies in front of me and I'll go for the chocolate chip every time; however, since first seeing this recipe, I've been intrigued by the inclusion of pink peppercorns. I mixed up a batch tonight and I was sold from the first lick of the bowl. They were cinch to put together even though I didn't realize until halfway through that I was missing two ingredients -- the ground cardamom and turbinado. For the cardamom, I just crushed a few whole pods, removed the seeds, and whacked them with my meat pounder, Amanda style. In lieu of the turbinado, I just sprinkled with regular cane sugar but I'm sure the crunch provided by turbinado would have been better. As I settled on the couch with a cookie and a glass of milk, my husband snatched half of the cookie out of my hand. After the first bite, he was off the couch and headed to the kitchen to grab his own, while stating "These are great. Not too sweet and not too much cinnamon." I agree wholeheartedly. These are sugar cookies for grown-ups with just the right mix of sugar and spice. - melissav —The Editors
Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
-
3 cups
all-purpose flour
-
1 teaspoon
baking soda
-
1/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
-
1/2 teaspoon
crushed pink peppercorn
-
1 teaspoon
ground cinnamon
-
1/4 teaspoon
ground cardamom
-
1/4 teaspoon
ground allspice
-
1 1/2 cups
granulated sugar
-
1/2 cup
lightly packed light brown sugar
-
1 cup
unsalted butter (2 sticks), soft, but still a bit cool
-
2
large eggs, room temperature
-
turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
Directions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-
In a medium-sized bowl, stir flour, baking soda, salt, crushed pink pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and allspice until well combined.
-
Combine sugars and softened butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Mix in eggs one at a time, and then turn the mixer to low. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until combined.
-
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough about 2 inches apart onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Flatten cookies with a wet hand, and then sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
-
Bake cookies until the edges become lightly golden, 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!
I have always loved food. My favorite books as a kid always featured food (eg. The Berenstain Bears Get the Gimmies- so much candy!) and I loved cooking shows like Yan Can Cook and The Frugal Gourmet. I started cooking the Thanksgiving dinner for my family when I was 13 years old. I have food52 to thank for inspiring me to come up with my own recipes, as well as for introducing me to a community of fantastic cooks and their amazing recipes. I try my best to cook locally and seasonally, and I tend to prefer straightforward, simple recipes where the ingredients get to shine. I live in wonderful Austin, Texas with my husband, Andy (a video game programmer) and my son, Henry (an 8-month-old who loves to eat).
See what other Food52ers are saying.