Healthy Middle Eastern Cardamom Cookies
Growing up in the Middle East meant I got the chance to enjoy plenty of desserts flavoured with cardamom. I love it so much that I can safely say it’s my favourite spice. The hubby on the other side, hates cardamom, so I don’t get to use it as much as I would like to. However, with Eid (the festival of breaking of the fast) fast approaching, I really wanted to create a Middle Eastern dessert, something that I grew up eating during this time.
Last year I created a healthy, vegan and gluten-free version of the most popular Iraqi cookie – Kleicha, or date rolls/date filled cookies and they were a big hit! This year, I wanted to create the second most popular Eid cookie (the most popular in my family anyway) – cardamom cookies, or Shakarlama, which are basically sugar cookies made with flour, butter and sugar with a hint of cardamom to make them even more delicious. I still remember how mouthwateringly buttery and crumbly they were and they were always topped with a whole almond or cashew.
Of course, they were void of nutrients. So I’ve created a healthier version with the following ingredients:
- Ground almonds – high in vitamin E, biotin, B2, magnesium and fibre. Also helps lower cholesterol, helps with weight control and helps prevent diabetes and heart disease.
- Flaxseed – good source of omega-3 fatty acids, phytonutrients and antioxidants. Also aids in preventing cardio vascular disease.
- Coconut sugar – even though it’s still a sugar and should be used sparingly, it has a low GI number making it a much better contender compared to things like white or brown sugar.
This healthy middle eastern cardamom cookie recipe is also vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free. They also contain fibre, good fats and are so tasty! 😀
Healthy Middle Eastern Cardamom Cookie
Makes – 12
- 1/2 cup (85g) gluten-free flour
- 1/2 cup (50g) ground almonds
- 1/4 cup (33g) coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp green cardamom powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 flax egg – 1 tbsp milled flaxseed + 3 tbsp hot water
- 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) coconut oil, melted
- WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE FOR INSTRUCTIONS
If you liked this healthy Middle Eastern cardamom cookie recipe, you may also like my Iraqi date cookies
These sound mighty delicious, my friend!! I always forget about the cardamom in my spice cabinet 😛
Healthy and vegan and cookies – I’m in!
Oh, these look really delicious! I love almond flour based cookies, they have a fab texture.
My husband is not into cardamom either, he only enjoys it when it’s one of a bunch of spices in garam masala for example. I love biscuits and breads with lots of cardamom though!
I loved the music of this video! Never heard of this type of cookies–I would love to try them!
I haven’t really made any recipes with cardamom, I neither like nor dislike it. However, we use it as one of the spices in making Swedish glogg – it adds a terrific aroma and taste, of course! I may try these cookies, they look interesting.
Deliciously nutty and amazing flavour…these cookies are awesome.
These days my oven gets good amount of heat almost everyday, and these so good looking cardamom flavored cookies are in my to bake list. Love cardamom, so can’t wait to try these!
Cardamom isn’t an ingredient I used very often at all. These look really great though, will definitely have to pick some up!
Cardamom = <3 LOVE the ingredients you've used in these gorgeous cookies. Also, I don't think I mentioned yet that I love your new site design 🙂
oh my goodness I made these last night and they were INCREDIBLE! Probably helps that cardamom is far and away my favourite spice. I replaced most of the oil with leftover pumpkin puree and they still tasted decadent and moist and delicious 🙂 Even my mum (who definitely likes her biscuits full of sugar and butter) was a big fan. Many thanks for such a fabulous recipe
Cardamom is one of those spices that I really didn’t start to appreciate until the last year or two. And now I love it! These cookies look fantastic!
I bet those taste amazing!
What is the nut on top of cookie? Cashew?
Yes 🙂