These cardamom cookies are studded with rich chocolate and crunchy pistachios. They’re vegan and made with almond flour so they’re also grain-free and gluten-free.
I’m so excited to share this recipe with you today! It’s from my friend Rachel’s new cookbook called Bakerita! I’ve actually never met Rachel IRL but I feel like I know her just by following each other on Instagram. Social media is so cool in that way!
She released her cookbook at the end of March and I was honestly so pumped to get a copy! It’s dedicated to gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar free desserts. Aka my kind of cookbook! The best part is that her recipes are similar to the healthy dessert recipes you’re used to seeing here on EBF. She uses everyday ingredients like almond flour, coconut flour and oat flour, as well as, natural sweeteners like coconut sugar, honey and maple syrup. With over 100 recipes in the cookbook, 90 are vegan and 82 are grain-free.
After flipping through the cookbook, I immediately bookmarked multiple recipes to try including a variety of beautiful cakes and cheesecakes (hello, chocolate peanut butter and banana cheesecake). Given the current circumstances, I decided to make something that I already had all the ingredients for and these cardamom cookies were perfect.
I’ve made my fair share of almond flour chocolate chip cookies before, but I loved the idea of these cookies because of the ground cardamom and pistachios… two things I don’t bake with often enough! Rachel is so kind to let me share this recipe with you all.
If you’re unfamiliar, cardamom is a spice made from the seed pods of various plants in the ginger family. Cardamom offers some unique health benefits and is used in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine, where you’ll often see the full pods used. There are two main types, black cardamom and green cardamom, but for this recipe you don’t need to worry about the type, just look for ground cardamom at your local grocery store. It shouldn’t be hard to find. The flavor of cardamom is strong and sweet with hints of lemon and mint. With these cookies you get the fragrant citrus notes from the cardamom and it pairs perfectly with the rich chocolate and crunchy pistachios.
I like to mix these cookies in a stand mixer, but if you have a handheld mixer that works great too! If you don’t have either, get ready to tone your arms. First, make sure your coconut oil is the right consistency. It should be similar to softened butter. If it’s too melted, stick it in the fridge to firm up a bit.
When coconut oil is slightly softened, add to the mixing bowl along with the coconut sugar and beat on medium speed until fluffy. Add the flax egg and vanilla and mix until well blended. Add the dry ingredients (the almond flour, cardamom, baking soda and salt) to the wet ingredients and mix on medium-low until well incorporated. Fold in the chocolate and pistachios. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour – you can refrigerate overnight and even up to 24 hours if you can wait that long! The chilling time lets the flavors all blend together… especially the cardamom!
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Use a medium cookie scoop to form cookies and place about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. At this point you can pop them in the oven or press in additional chocolate chunks and pistachios (which I like to do!). Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges just begin to lightly brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a bit and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
The key to storing almond flour cookies is letting them cool completely before packaging them up! Warm cookies can create condensation in containers so be patient! Once completely cool, these cookies will keep in an airtight container on your counter for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
If you enjoy this recipe, please check out Rachel’s website to learn more about the cookbook and/or snag a copy for yourself. It’s available through Amazon and several other retailers.
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These are on point! You definitely need these in your life.
Woo! Glad to hear that, Tara! Thanks for making them and leaving a review, I appreciate it so much.
These cookies are amazing, so unique and unlike any other cookie I’ve had before! They are my dads #1 request and he doesn’t even know they have healthier ingredients!
So glad these cookies are a hit, Cara! Thanks for making them. I so appreciate it!
Several favorite flavors in these cookies. LOVED THEM!
These are really good! They didn’t really flatten in my oven so I had to do it with a fork partway through. Next time I’d flatten them before going in the oven. They’re moist, tasty, and taste like a different take on a gingerbread cookie! They’re great with a tea or coffee. You’d never know they’re GF 🙂
I love cookies and chocolates. And it is the combination of pistachio cardamom, and chocolate it is like icing on the cake. I just love it. Thanks you for the recipe. I will definitely try this.