In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or with a hand beater, combine the softened butter and the sugar. Beat on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla beans and beat until just combined.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom into the wet ingredients. Start the mixer on low to prevent the flour from exploding everywhere, and slowly increase the mixing speed as the dry ingredients are incorporated. Continue mixing on medium-high until the flour is all mixed in.

Place the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and pat it into a disc about an inch thick. Refrigerate for 1 hour. It can stay in there longer, but if it has hardened completely, allow it to soften up a bit before you try to roll it.

To bake, preheat the oven to 350° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll it to about 1/4” thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut out the shapes you would like, and move them to the baking sheets with a metal spatula. Leave about two inches between the cookies and bake for 8-12 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies. If you want them to be soft, remove them when they are not brown around the edges, but the dough doesn’t look damp anywhere across the cookie. If you prefer a crispier cookie, you can keep baking for a few more minutes until the edges are turning golden brown around the bottom.

Cool the cookies completely before decorating. They will keep in an airtight container for a couple of weeks, or can be frozen for up to a month.