Step 1

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown, 10 to 11 minutes. Immediately pour the butter into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vanilla.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and cardamom. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the brown-butter mixture. Roll out the dough to a generous 1/4-inch-thick square on parchment or silicone baking mat. Sprinkle the dough with the sanding sugar and lightly roll it into the dough. Dip 1¼-inch fluted cutters into the flour and punch out the cookies. Transfer the cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets and refrigerate until chilled, for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake the cookies until light brown and firm, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets on wire racks before serving.

Step 4

Reprinted with permission from " Martha: The Cookbook" by Martha Stewart. Copyright © 2024 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia LP. Photographs copyright © 2024 by Dana Gallagher. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.