Mascarpone Cardamom Solstice Swirls

December 2016 Recipe of the Month

Our recipe of the month comes from Jill, former President of the Herb Society.
A beautiful cookie, with only 5 ingredients! Fit to grace any holiday cookie platter.  The cardamom is very Minnesotan.

Mascarpone Cardamom Solstice Swirls

1/2 cup mascarpone
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cardamom

Add the mascarpone to a large bowl or stand mixer bowl and blend until creamy. Pour in the flour and mix until crumbly. With the mixer still running, add the butter and continue mixing until the dough pulls away from the sides of a bowl into a soft dough.

Form the dough into a ball and then split into four equal pieces. Shape each piece into a rectangle. Wrap in parchment and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This will help make the dough easier to roll.

Once the cookie dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 375º F.

In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and the cardamom and stir to mix.

On a dry, smooth surface, sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the sugar mixture. Place on rectangle of dough on the surface, turning in the sugar to coat. Roll into a 12×5-inch rectangle. Turn the dough so that both sides are covered in sugar and cardamom.

Tightly roll one of the short sides towards the center of the dough. Once you get to the center, turn the entire piece of dough over and roll the opposite end towards the center. Using a piece of floss or other string, cut 1/2″ slices off the dough to create curled-S shapes.

Carefully dredge each S-shaped cookie through some of the remaining cardamom sugar to coat. Place them 2″ apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with a bit of extra sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Bake for 15 minutes or until cookies are a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely and store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Makes 4.5 dozen cookies