These chewy almond flour cardamom cookies are a simple, gluten-free and vegan treat made with just five ingredients. The warm cardamom and fragrant orange blossom give them a distinctive flavor, while maple syrup adds sweetness.
If you love baking with cardamom, try my cardamom cookies with chocolate chips, and my light and fluffy cardamom cake.
Serve these fragrant cookies alongside coffee or tea for a simple afternoon treat.
While cardamom powder is a familiar ingredient in Arabic coffee and some savory dishes such as my eggplant mahshi, it's less commonly used in traditional Palestinian sweets.
My inspiration for using cardamom in sweets came from Indian desserts and a piece of cardamom-flavored dark chocolate made in Latin America that I once tried.
After making my cardamom cookies with chocolate chips and loving how delicious they turned out, I wanted to create a gluten-free version with the same warm spice.
For more homemade delicious cookies recipes try my rock cookies recipe and for vegan options try anise cookies or zaatar cookies. And for traditional try ghraybeh or maamoul cookies.
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Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Deliciously chewy: A satisfying texture with almond flour as the base.
- Naturally gluten-free ingredients: Made without wheat flour—a lovely option for your gluten-free baking collection.
- Just five ingredients: A short ingredient list keeps this recipe simple.
- Fragrant and flavorful: Ground cardamom adds warm spice, while orange blossom brings a floral touch.
- Sweetened with maple syrup: This version uses just ¼ cup for the whole batch.
- No butter or eggs: Made with olive oil and entirely plant-based ingredients.
- Lovely with coffee or tea: An inviting treat for an afternoon break or sharing with guests.
Equipment
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Ingredients
- Almond Flour – Forms the base of these cookies and adds a delicate, nutty flavor.
- Olive Oil – Helps bring the dough together.
- Maple Syrup – Adds sweetness that complements the cardamom and orange blossom water.
- Baking Powder - Gives the cookies a gentle lift.
- Cardamom Powder – The star of these cookies, adding a warm, aromatic flavor.
- Orange Blossom Water – Adds a delicate floral note and another layer of flavor.
- Toasted Almonds – Add extra nuttiness and a satisfying crunch.
Instructions
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Toasting Almonds
1 | Spread the raw almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.
2 | Toast in a toaster oven for 4–5 minutes, or until lightly golden and fragrant.
3 | Roughly chop them with a sharp knife or pulse briefly in a grinder. Set aside.
Making the Cookies
Step 1 | Place all the cookie ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Step 2 | Using your hands mix until the ingredients are well combined.
Step 4 | Dough should be easy to handle and shape.
Step 5 | Take a small piece of dough and roll it into a ball between your hands.
Step 6 | Repeat until all the dough has been rolled into balls.
Step 7 | Using your fingers, gently press each dough ball into a round cookie about 2 inches in diameter.
Step 8 | Sprinkle each cookie with the toasted chopped almonds.
Step 9 | Place in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C).
Step 9 | Bake for 10–12 minutes.
Variations and Substitutions
- Pistachio topping: Swap the toasted almonds for chopped pistachios.
- A citrus touch: Add a little orange zest to complement the cardamom and orange blossom water.
- Rose water twist: Replace the orange blossom water with a small amount of rose water for a different floral flavor.
- Chocolate drizzle: Finish the cooled cookies with a drizzle of melted dark chocolate.
- Extra spice: Add a pinch of cinnamon alongside the cardamom for another layer of warmth.
Storage
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing them.
- You can keep them in an airtight container for up to one week.
- Freeze them in a zip-top bag for up to three months.
Pro Tips
- Choose your texture: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes for chewy cookies, or 14 minutes for a crispier texture.
- Shape evenly: Flatten each dough ball into a round cookie about 2 inches in diameter, keeping the thickness consistent across the batch.
- Press the almonds into the dough: After sprinkling the chopped toasted almonds over the cookies, gently press them into the surface so they stay in place.
- Let the cookies cool before moving: Almond flour cookies can be delicate straight from the oven. Allow them to firm up on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Frequently Asked Question
Yes! This recipe uses olive oil and maple syrup and contains no eggs, butter, or dairy.
Almond meal can give cookies a coarser, more rustic texture. For a smoother texture, use finely ground, blanched almond flour. Almond meal has not been tested in this recipe.
For the extra nutty flavor and crunch it's best to toast the almonds.
Yes. Freshly ground cardamom can have a more pronounced flavor than pre-ground cardamom.
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More Delicious Desserts
Chewy Almond Flour Cardamom Cookies (Gluten-Free)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Palestinian/American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These chewy almond flour cardamom cookies are a simple, gluten-free and a vegan treat made with just five ingredients. Warm cardamom and fragrant orange blossom give them a distinctive flavor, while maple syrup adds sweetness.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (144 g) almond flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup (78 g) maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup (78 g) chopped toasted almonds, for topping (optional)
Instructions
Toast Almonds
- Spread the raw almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Toast in a toaster oven for 4–5 minutes, or until lightly golden and fragrant.
- Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Let the almonds cool, then roughly chop them with a sharp knife or pulse briefly in a grinder.
-
Store any leftover toasted almonds in a jar in the fridge. Sprinkle them over salads or puddings, or blend them into smoothies.
Make Cookies
- Place all the cookie ingredients except the water in a large mixing bowl.
- Using your hands mix until the ingredients are well combined.
- Dough should be easy to handle and shape.
- Take a small piece of dough and roll it into a ball between your hands.
- Repeat until all the dough has been rolled into balls.
- Using your fingers, gently press each dough ball into a round cookie about 2 inches in diameter.
- Sprinkle each cookie with chopped almonds.
- Place in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C)Bake for 10–12 minutes.
Notes
- Choose your texture: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes for chewy cookies, or 14 minutes for a crispier texture.
- Shape evenly: Flatten each dough ball into a round cookie about 2 inches in diameter, keeping the thickness consistent across the batch.
- Press the almonds into the dough: After sprinkling the chopped toasted almonds over the cookies, gently press them into the surface so they stay in place.
- Let the cookies cool before moving: Almond flour cookies can be delicate straight from the oven. Allow them to firm up on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.
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