Cardamom Butter Cookies

To make the cookies, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice in a bowl.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture until just combined.

Form dough into 2 balls, each on its own sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap and chill the dough until slightly firm, about 1 hour or up to 5 days. After chilling, I remove the first ball of dough.

Put oven racks in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F.

Roll out on a floured surface to about 1/4-inch thickness and then cut out cookies with cookie cutters.

Arranged about 1 inch apart (chill remaining dough, wrapped in plastic wrap).

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

To make the icing, whisk together espresso powder, vanilla, and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk until espresso powder is dissolved. Then add confectioner’s sugar and enough additional milk to make a thick but pourable icing. Drizzle the espresso glaze over the cookies.

Melt chocolate and then drizzle over the cookies.

Let cookies stand on racks until icing sets, about 2 hours.

Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Notes:

Dough can be chilled for 5 days or wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and frozen for 1 month (thaw in the refrigerator just until ready to roll out).

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