The Vegan Tahini Cookies were such a huge hit that I got countless emails asking for more vegan and gluten free cookie recipes that were not only delicious but easy to make and full of wholesome ingredients. So I shared another recipe of almond butter cookies that we love. But the one I was most excited about was this recipe for Vegan Cardamom And Rose Cookies! Inspired by this gorgeous almond and rose bread that I used to bake regularly many moons ago, I created a truly aromatic chewy cookie with flavours so divine that they'll transport you to blush kissed alleyways of Morocco. I have baked this for family and for friends and every single person who has tried this cookie asks for the recipe so they can bake it right away!
If you have almond meal for the recipe, your cookies will end up being lighter in colour with a warm oven glow. If you are using whole ground almonds, the cookies will be a shade darker and more rustic. Either way, they will taste amazing. I started out testing a smaller quantity of this recipe that made 8 cookies. I quickly realised the folly of my ways when all 8 cookies were consumed within minutes in the name of taste testing. I felt like 8 wasn't a decent number for any self-proclaimed healthy cookie lover. So I set out to double the finished recipe. This quantity that I now share, makes 16 cookies and the dough is even better than the first few batches.
The cookie dough is safe to eat raw, like in all previous vegan cookies I have shared. You can roll the dough into bliss balls and stock up in the fridge or in your pantry in air tight containers. Baked cookies keep really well at room temperature for up to a week. The use of olive oil adds a lightness in taste and texture (I honestly can't deal with coconut oil in vegan baking as I feel it is very overpowering and detrimental to the taste of the baked treat). So a lighter tasting olive oil is the way to go. The dough mixes by hand in just one bowl and the cookie is so easy to mix and bake, you will be amazed! I have now baked these 6 times and it only takes 12-14 minutes from start to finish.
I hope you bake and love these. Please leave me a comment/rating with your feedback below. It helps others try out the recipe too. Don't forget to share your photos with me on Instagram by tagging @cookrepublic. Happy baking lovelies! Sneh x
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Recipe
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8 INGREDIENT VEGAN CARDAMOM AND ROSE COOKIES
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360 g) almond meal , or ground whole almonds
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 5 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons rosewater
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- crushed pistachios and dried rose petals , for topping
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 190°C (convention) / 170°C (fan-forced/convection)
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with baking paper.
- Place almond meal, olive oil, maple syrup, rosewater, cardamom, vanilla, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Using your hands, knead the mixture into a dough.
- Take about a tablespoon of mixture and roll it into a ball. Place on the prepared sheet and flatten with the palm of your hand. Repeat for the remaining mixture. You should get about 16 cookies.
- Press crushed pistachios and rose petals on top of each cookie. When you do this, the edges might flare and crack, just pinch together and smooth the edges.
- Bake in pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes (for chewy cookies) or 14 minutes (for crispier cookies).
Hi. Do you buy the rose water or you do it?
I buy it. It is available in Mediterranean delis and in baking sections of supermarkets.
Hi!
Would love to try these
Can I switch the almond flour for all purpose flour in the same amount? Or maybe shredded coconut?
Hi Kristel, regular flour won't work. You can try with coconut flour (not shredded or desiccated) but might need to increase liquid content (oil) to bind properly. You'll have to go by feel. If allergy/intolerance isn't an issue but you would like to switch up almond meal, try cashew nut meal for a similar texture and flavour. Cheers!
Amazing recipe! So fast and so healthy. I cut the maple syrup quantity in half to make them less sweet.
Wonderful! Thank you for your lovely feedback! x
I love these cookies have made them a bunch of times. Made them once with Rose essence and honey which left a weird after taste.
After that, I made it with gulkhand (melted sugar with rose petals) in place of rose water+maple syrup and it's the most delicious thing ever.
It's like a cross of halwa + cookie.
After turning vegan, I've been wanting vegan treats which also satiated my craving for Indian sweets and this just perfect for that.
Me and my sister love anything that's rose flavoured! The cookies turned out great, we love them! Although they are quite heavy and high in calories so we can't really indulge in them gulit-free. Do you think switching some of the ground almonds for plain gluten free flour would be ok? If so, what would be the proportions?
Natalia, gluten free flour has a very different texture and weight to almond meal. By substituting, you would not only need to adjust quantities of other ingredients but the baking time as well. A good alternative is to make much smaller sized cookies to portion control your snack time. 🙂
just baked those delightful cookies, LOVE it. I could've added a bit more rose water since i really like the flavor.... next time for sure. thank you so much for this easy and healthy and aromatic cookies.
Hi Sneh,
This recipe looks incredible as rosewater & cardamom are my FAVORITE baking combo. Since I live in the US - can you let me know if you recommend any measurement alternations given the slight difference in our regions' cup and tablespoon measurements?
I would follow the same measurements in your cup sizes .. if it feels a tad dry, increase olive oil by a drizzle; if it is too wet, increase almond meal by feel. I usually go for a cookie dough that is pliable and easily rolled without crumbling or cracking edges. Hope that helps 🙂
Thanks they are delicious! Just the kind of vegan, light cookie I was hunting for. I especially like that I can make small batches ( although the second batch of 8 just went in the oven after the last 8 got devoured yesterday ). I bumped up the cardamom and rose water for an extra robust taste but your recipe is very exacta day so simple. The choice of ingredients is so exotic and works great together. I already shared it with my mom.
Thank you~~~ You are a goddesses.
Thank you for the explanation Sneh. I am not in Australia, so it makes sense that the cup sizes are different, and the dough was more wet. When I make these again I will keep this point in mind.
I tried these cookies today. I measured by volume, not weight, which may have led to a slight problem. The dough was too wet to hold together at first and I ended up adding 1/3C flour to get it to become a dough. That helped, and I was able to bake these cookies successfully. They were a little undersweet for me, though they have a very nice subtle flavour. The balance of cardamom and rosewater was very good.
A standard cup size here in Australia is larger than say in US, so if you are outside of Australia and used cups you might have used less almond meal which would have resulted in a loose dough. Often, just increasing the almond meal helps .. flour is fine too but almond meal is preferable as the flavour really shines through. Glad you liked the balance of flavours. My cookies tend to be on the less sweet side so glad you added more sweet 🙂 x
I just tried these but couldn't taste any rose flavor unfortunately! They're still a delicious and lovely looking cookie, but the maple syrup overpowered the taste of all the other ingredients. I think I'll need to try a different maple syrup. And perhaps the rosewater I used wasn't that strong?
Yes, different brands can affect the taste of a recipe quite a bit. The rosewater I use is quite a strong one. I always taste the cookie dough raw to see if I am happy with the flavours and adjust them to my liking before baking 🙂
I made these today, they are delicious! I halved the recipe and unfortunately didn't have any dried rose petals (I usually do but didn't feel like braving the supermarkets haha)and they tasted delicious without them too. Thank you <3
Also, so excited to stumble across your website... you have so many delicious looking things, can't wait to try them. X
These cookiess were delicious. I had neither butter nor eggs and so looked for an interesting recipe without them. This recipe fitted the bill perfectly, especially as I had rose petals. Easy, quick and really tasty.
Love these cookies, the ease, taste and simple elegance. I've made them twice now, always shared them and the recipients all enjoyed a delicious, sugar free, gluten free vegan treats. It fulfills many preferences, and needs so easily.
Love and gratitude Sneh! Bake and shine on!!l
Annie Karuna
I made this cookies and the flavor of rose water is too much, I dontthink it should have 2 tablespoons of rose water, does not taste good, I baked for 14 min for crispier cookiesbut they got burnt on the bottom, did not like them
I think the rosewater taste might be a preference, but every single person I have made this cookie for (dozens!) love the subtle rosewater flavour. 2 tablespoons is a good amount without overpowering, any less and you will barely be able to taste the rosewater which is the main component of the cookie. I am sorry your cookies burnt, shouldn't have happened at 14 minutes, at the most they get nicely browned (as there is basically just nuts held together by olive oil). Maybe your oven temp was higher or was it fan-forced (in which case you would have to reduce temp by about 20C).
I used honey instead of maple syrup and they were absolutely amazing!! Thank you!!
Can you use honey instead of maple syrup?
yes you could but the cookie will be a lot chewier. x
These were absolutely delicious, I’ve made them a few times. Today I didn’t have any maple so I used rice malt syrup and added a few white chocolate chunks to the cookie mix which was also yummy!
Amazing! Thank you for your wonderful feedback Karlee <3
Delicious. I liked them crispy rather than soft. I had them in small heart shapes with rose petals on top and asked for the recipe at a potluck. Can't wait to make them! Thank you.
I used 1 tbsp of rose water because I like a more delicate taste to balance with the other flavours. I (and everyone else) loved it!
Hi,
Rose petals are very healthy. But, I never knew that we could incorporate rose petals in cookies along with almonds in such a way. Sounds interesting. Will surely try it out.
nice recipe cookie looks great ,will try it this week