Dark Chocolate, Pistachio and Cardamom Cookies
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Published May 08, 2020, Updated Dec 07, 2022
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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.
What is Cardamom?
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.
Here’s What You Need For These Cookies:
- almond flour
- coconut sugar
- coconut oil
- flax egg – made from ground flax and water
- pure vanilla extract
- ground cardamom
- baking soda
- salt
- bittersweet chocolate (I actually used a Lily’s dark chocolate bar)
- shelled pistachios
How to Make Chocolate Pistachio Cookies
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.
Storing Almond Flour Cookies
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.
More Almond Flour Recipes to Try
- Almond Flour Crescent Cookies
- Lemon Almond Flour Cookies
- Carrot Raisin Almond Flour Muffins
- Almond Flour Snickerdoodles
- Baked Almond Flour Donuts
- Almond Flour Zucchini Bread
- Almond Flour Muffins
- Almond Crackers
- Almond Cookies
Dark Chocolate, Pistachio and Cardamom Cookies
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup 96g coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup 100g refined coconut oil, slightly softened
- 1 flax egg, 1 Tablespoon ground flax with 2 1/2 Tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups 216g blanched almond flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (about 2/3 cup), plus extra for decoration, if desired
- 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped, plus extra for decoration, if desired
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in the mixing bowl, beat the coconut sugar and coconut oil on medium speed until fluffy. Add the flax egg and vanilla and mix until nicely blended. If you prefer, you can stir the ingredients in the mixing bowl with a sturdy spoon.
- Add the almond flour, cardamom, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients and, with the mixer on medium-low, mix until well incorporated, or mix the ingredients by hand. Fold in chopped chocolate and pistachios.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours. This chilling time lets the flavors meld and the cardamom flavor permeate the dough.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a medium cookie scoop that holds about 1 1/2 ounces of dough to form cookies. You can also use a spoon to form rounded mounds of dough. Put them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. If desired, press more chocolate chunks, pistachios or both onto the top of the cookies (I do this to make them look pretty!). Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are just beginning to turn golden brown around the edges.
- Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- The coconut oil should be the consistency of softened butter. If it is super soft or melted because the kitchen is too warm, refrigerate it for 15 to 30 minutes to firm it up slightly.
- To make a flax egg, whisk 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed with 2 1/2 tablespoons water. Set aside for about 10 minutes to give the mixture time to gel.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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.
Hi,
I’m not vegan
Can I use same qty butter instead of coconut oil in this recipe?
Also, Can I replace the flax egg with same qty of regular egg?
To get a more bolder flavour of pistachio, what is to be added like pistachio butter or flour?
Hello! I haven’t not tested this recipe with butter and a regular egg so I am not sure how that would change the end result of these cookies. But if you give them a try with your subs, let me know how they turn out. Enjoy!
Delicious and very rich, with my favorite ingredients, especially cardamom! I suggest less sugar for those who don’t like very sweet cookies; I cut it to 1/2 cup.
Amazing! I am SO glad you are loving these cookies, Ellen. Thank you so much for sharing your review + star rating, I truly appreciate it!