Chocolate-Chip-Cardamom Cookies

Inspired by Arhia's Cardamom Chocolate-Chip Muffins, I decided to make a cookie that was similar.  After all, for what else can you use ground cardamom, if not slightly weird baking?  (For Indian food I always start with whole pods and toast them.)  Like lemon zest or orange, cardamom gives baked goods a brighter or lighter note (but I always feel silly when describing food like this) that balances the heaviness of butter, chocolate, etc.

I started off a recipe for chocolate chip cookies from The Joy of Vegan Baking.  You'd think I would have learned by now that (apparently) every single recipe in this cookbook uses significantly too much butter and sugar.  Now, I wholly believe that cookies should taste like cookies--cookies are never a healthy snack!--but when the cookie is so greasy that you have to wash your hands after touching it?  Not my style.  I cut back on the sugar, but not the butter; accordingly, I've suggested in the recipe what the butter will be next time I make this recipe.

Besides the cardamom, this is a very classic chocolate chip cookie.  I substituted a bit of whole wheat flour simply because I like more texture, but it's still as close to candy as it is to bread--slightly crispy on the outside, but chewy and caramely on the inside.  The cardamom, though, makes it really fantastic: how can such a rich cookie taste so...refreshing?  It's actually rather dangerous...

Chocolate-Chip-Cardamom Cookies

(adapted from The Joy of Vegan Baking)

Ingredients

3 “eggs” (ener-G egg replacer)

¾ c earth balance (I used 1 c and it was too much), softened

½ c sugar

¾ c brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla

*

1 ¼ - 1 ½ c white flour

½ c wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp cardamom

*

1 c chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375*.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Prepare egg replacer.  Cream butter and sugars.  Add "eggs" and vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (flours, salt, baking soda, cardamom).  Add dry to wet and mix.  Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Form cookies into golf-ball-sized balls and place on parchment-lined sheets at least 2 in apart.  Bake for about 11-14 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom.  Remove from oven and allow to stand until cool before moving cookies.  Makes 2-3 dozen cookies.