Inspired by Persian flavors, these Healthy Pistachio Rose Cardamom Snickerdoodles are fragrant and flavorful with nuttiness, floral notes, and just the right amount of spice. Chewy, with a fun crunch for texture, and bright colors from the garnishes, these cookies are sure to please all the senses. What's more- they're extremely allergy friendly: dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, sweetened with dates, coconut-free, and grain-free. I even have a paleo option for these cookies, too. For my keto readers, for a keto snickerdoodle recipe, check out my Keto Matcha Snickerdoodles which are 100% sugar-free and low-carb (and ofc vegan + GF). Also, these cookies are pretty easy to make, are high-protein, and fiber-rich. If you love the pistachio + cardamom + rose water flavor combination, you're going to love these cookies.
Exciting things are happening here at The Dimpled Date! ... Including the fact that I will have a blog up-and-running soon and start posting videos on the website!! However, I also am going to start the process of making select previous and new recipes on The Dimpled Date exclusive. In that, they can only be accessed by paying for a Dimpled Date membership. A lot of these recipes are pastry-chef-quality, after all, and many are inspired by recipes from my pastry chef teachers.
And I need to start monetizing my blog while I wait for my cottage permit to be able to legally sell baked goods made in my home kitchen. That's why soon you'll be seeing some ads on The Dimpled Date, too (hey, bloggers need to make money, too. Especially when they're also an author and baker and have been providing recipes for free for literally 4 years with an ad-free website..). I'll try not to go too crazy with the advertisements though.
But in other exciting news, I'm going to try to partner with some brands and create loads of new branded/partnership content on my Insta and here on the blog! Stay tuned for fun updates.
So, as mentioned, these cookies are entirely vegan, gluten-free, date-sweetened, coconut-free, and grain-free with a paleo option. They are also high in fiber and protein and the cookie batter includes superfoods as well.
They are pleasantly chewy with a little crunch from the pistachios and a light papery effect from the rose petals (which are completely optional to roll your cookies in). They have a complex flavor that includes sweet & nutty pistachio/almond notes, a rich cinnamon-cardamom spiciness, a light hint of vanilla, and wholesome fruitiness from the date sugar, all infused with the delicate taste of rose water.
Have any recipes you want to see on The Dimpled Date? Have a favorite flavor you want to see turned into a dessert or other recipe? Want to leave a comment about these cookies? Drop your suggestions/feedback in the comments, and if you liked this recipe be sure to give it a heart!
Also, if rose water + cardamom aren't your thing, check out my other cookies recipes on The Dimpled Date! I have a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe, an oatmeal cookie recipe, a nut-free tahini chocolate chip cookie recipe, and lots of others, all date-sweetened. And stay tuned for a Quadruple Peanut Butter Cookie recipe (date-sweetened & 7-ingredient) coming soon...
And again, I have a Keto Matcha Snickerdoodles recipe for those of you who are keto or who are looking for low-carb/sugar-free cookies that are still healthy, vegan, and delicious.
But for those of you who are here for flavorful, date-sweetened, nutrient-dense cookies, let's dive in!
Substitutions
Vegan butter: try softened (slightly melted) coconut oil instead OR try additional raw pistachio butter to make these cookies 100% paleo + oil-free
Date sugar: try maple sugar (NOT syrup) OR coconut sugar OR unrefined sugar of choice. Just keep in mind that you may want to reduce the amount of sugar to 1 cup per batch if you use maple sugar/coconut sugar. I don't recommend using liquid sweeteners. For rolling the cookies, use powdered maple sugar OR powdered coconut sugar OR pure powdered monk fruit (NO erythritol, just pure monk fruit)
Flax egg: try 1 chia egg OR 3 Tbsp aquafaba (chickpea brine/liquid from can) in place of one flax egg (AKA per single batch of these cookies). Alternatively, you can replace the flax egg with 3 Tbsp Just Egg's vegan egg substitute (but be aware that this would make the cookies no longer paleo)
Almond extract: this is just for additional pistachio flavor, but you can try natural pistachio extract OR cherry extract instead. Alternatively, you may omit the almond extract and just rely on the pistachio butter for a nutty flavor
Cardamom: any other spice would technically work, but the pistachio, rose, and cardamom flavor combo is quite irresistible. Instead of cardamom, try additional cinnamon OR 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg per single batch OR 1/2 tsp ground cloves per single batch OR 1/2 tsp ground ginger per single batch OR 1 tsp pumpkin spice per single batch. Or simply omit the ground cardamom to have just a classic cinnamon snickerdoodle flavor. For rolling the cookies, use additional ground cinnamon instead. Rolling the cookies in the cardamom is optional
Cinnamon: this one is tricky to substitute, but you can use Ceylon ("true") cinnamon OR cassia cinnamon (the usual kind)
Rose water: pure orange blossom water OR lavender extract works, too, for a different flavor. Or, omit the rose water if floral flavors aren't your thing
Raw pistachio butter: technically, you can try a different type of nut/seed butter if you wish, but this will change the flavor. Raw almond butter, raw hazelnut butter, raw pumpkin seed (pepita) butter, OR raw sunflower seed butter, etc. would all work (just make sure it's raw and unsweetened to get the best flavor)
Unsweetened plant milk: you can use any kind of unsweetened plant milk, nut-free/coconut-free and soy-free, as needed. Oat milk, almond milk, pistachio milk, cashew milk, thin coconut milk, rice milk, and hemp milk would all work great. Instead of the plant milk, try filtered water
Almond flour: try using pistachio flour (ground raw pistachios) OR hazelnut flour (ground raw hazelnuts) OR tigernut flour OR sunflower seed flour (ground sunflower seeds) instead, each with a different flavor and nutritional profile.
Chickpea flour: use coconut flour instead
Sea salt: substitute table salt. But any kind of sea salt will work (I prefer fine Himalayan pink sea salt). Omit if you need to watch your salt intake
Crushed raw pistachios: for rolling the cookies, any type of raw nut/seed will work, but make sure it matches the kind of nut butter you use inside the cookies. E.g. if you use pumpkin seed butter in the cookie batter, roll in raw pumpkin seeds/pepitas, if you use raw almond butter, roll in raw almonds, etc. Rolling the cookies in the pistachios is optional
Dried rose petals: instead, try fresh rose petals OR crushed dried rose buds. Rolling the cookies in the rose petals is optional. If you use orange blossom water, try rolling in dried orange blossom petals. If you use lavender extract, try rolling in dried culinary lavender buds. Bee pollen might even be nice, if you're not strictly vegan and you consume bee products
Also: you can optionally try making an icing to top these cookies. It can be a pistachio, rose water, and/or cardamom icing. Or an orange blossom icing or lemon icing would be wonderful too. I would recommend melting a little coconut butter (coconut "manna") with a tiny bit of coconut oil, adding sweetener of choice (date sugar, maple syrup, yacón syrup) to taste, and then flavoring with flavor of choice (e.g. almond extract + a lil pistachio butter for pistachio, rose water for rose, cardamom, orange blossom water, cinnamon, lemon juice + zest, ground vanilla bean powder, etc.). You can also color the icing with a superfood powder, such as matcha or green spirulina for green, pink dragon fruit powder for pink, Dunaliella salina (a specific algae) powder for orange, etc. Just keep in mind that basing the icing on coconut butter would no longer make it coconut-free. Or you can use your own icing or glaze recipe to top these cookies.
Stay Tuned for the Crème de la Crème... And Olympics-Inspired Recipes! And Here's the "Future Recipes Sneak Peek"
3 new recipes coming to The Dimpled Date soon are:
Strawberry Grape Daiquiris (Fruit-Sweetened & Virgin Option!)
Healthy Strawberry Basil Ice Cream (w/ a Maqui Balsamic Glaze) (it sounds weird but it is INCREDIBLY delicious!)
Low-Fat Cinnamon Mesquite Vanilla Granola
...And more!
More fun cakes and recipes coming soon! Some inspired by the summer Olympics and some not, but all show-stopping! Keep posted and stay cool in that summer heat.
Enjoy this one! If you loved these cookies, drop your feedback in the comments and like this post <3
Enjoy!
-K.
Healthy Pistachio Rose Cardamom Snickerdoodles (Vegan, GF, Date-Sweetened, Coconut-Free, Grain-Free, Paleo Option)
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time (if needed): at least 1 hour
Cook Time: 8 to 14 minutes
Total Time: at least 40 minutes
Servings: 22 to 28 cookies (depending on size)
Ingredients (cookies):
-1/4 cup softened vegan butter (like Earth Balance OR Miyoko's) OR 1/4 cup softened coconut oil OR an additional 1/4 cup raw unsalted pistachio butter* (for paleo)
-1 1/2 cups date sugar (ground dried dates, NOT palm sugar)
-1 flax egg (Minimalist Baker has a great recipe!)
-1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
-2 tsp almond extract
-1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
-1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
-1 1/2 tsp pure rose water
-1/2 cup raw unsalted pistachio butter* (can sub raw almond butter OR raw pumpkin seed AKA pepita butter for different flavors)
-1/2 cup unsweetened plant milk (I used almond)
-2 cups superfine blanched almond flour, lightly packed
-1/4 cup chickpea flour (can sub coconut flour)
-1 tsp cream of tartar
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/8 tsp sea salt
-(optional): 1/2 tsp pure matcha green tea powder OR 1/8 tsp green spirulina (for a naturally greener color + superfood boost)
For rolling (optional):
-1 tsp ground cinnamon
-1 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
-1 Tbsp date sugar
-if desired, press/roll in some finely chopped raw (or maple-candied!) pistachios and dried rose petals
Directions:
1. Prep your ingredients: soften the vegan butter/coconut oil, make the pistachio butter (if using homemade), and make the flax egg. Place the optional ingredients for rolling (cinnamon, cardamom, date sugar, crushed pistachios, rose petals) in a small, flat dish or bowl, mix together, and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, chickpea flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and sea salt until incorporated.
3. Place the softened vegan butter in a large mixing bowl with the raw pistachio butter and date sugar and cream together until thoroughly combined, mixing manually with a spoon.
4. Add the gelled flax egg, extracts/floral essences, spices, and mix together until thoroughly mixed.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until a thick batter comes together. It will be drier/thicker.
6. Pour in the plant milk and mix until the batter is smoother, softer, and more moist. If you want to color your batter more of a green hue (it will be pretty dark), add the matcha or green spirulina now and mix well to combine.
7. If the batter is too soft to roll and form cookies, cover the bowl and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour or until firm enough to roll/handle.
8. Once the cookie dough is done chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper OR large silicone baking mats.
9. Scoop up about a 1.5-Tbsp chunk of the cookie dough and roll it between the palms of your hands to form a ball. If desired, roll in the date-sugar-spice-pistachio-rose-petal mixture in the small shallow dish. Dunk the cookie dough ball in the mixture and roll it around in the dish until the cookie is coated. Press in any toppings that won't stick well. Place the cookie dough ball on the lined baking sheet, and using the base of a drinking glass or your palm, flatten the cookie (being careful not to remove any toppings). Repeat with the rest of the dough until it's all used up, chilling the dough in between sheets. There should be 6 cookies per sheet.
10. Bake at 350 F for 8 to 14 minutes (depending on desired texture/flavor. A shorter amount of time will yield softer more flavorful cookies, more time will yield snappier less flavorful cookies).
11. Allow to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. If making the icing mentioned in the "Substitutions" section of this post, make it now and ice the cookies once cool and when ready to serve.
12. Serve & enjoy! Would go great with a mug of vegan rose moon milk, with a healthy pistachio spread slathered on top, with a cardamom glaze, with the icing described earlier in this post, or on its own. Enjoy!
NOTES:
*to make homemade raw unsalted pistachio butter, simply blend at least 1.5 cups to 3 cups of raw pistachios in a high-speed blender like a Vitamix or in a food processor until a shiny smooth nut butter is produced. Stop the machine and give it a rest/break and scrape down the sides as many times as needed in between blending. You may even need to give it 15-minute breaks in between blending rounds. Use a little bit of avocado oil if needed to help it blend. Then, simply measure out the amount needed for the recipe. You can use store-bought raw unsweetened pistachio butter instead if you can find it
**see "Substitutions" section of this post for alternatives to every ingredient in these cookies and ideas for flavor customization
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