DEEPAVALI, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a time of joy, family gatherings and celebrations. Alongside lighting oil lamps and sharing festive meals, sweets and cookies play a central role. As plant-based eating grows in popularity, these seven vegan cookie recipes will bring a fresh change to your Deepavali treats, offering delicious and dairy-free options for everyone.
Almond cardamom cookies
Aromatic cardamom pairs well with crunchy almonds, creating a light, melt-in-the-mouth cookie is ideal for festive offerings.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups of almond flour
½ cup of powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon of cardamom powder
3 tablespoons of coconut oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
2. In a bowl, mix almond flour, sugar and cardamom powder.
3. Add coconut oil and vanilla extract. Mix until it forms a soft dough.
4. Roll small balls and flatten slightly.
5. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until golden. Cool before serving.
Coconut snowball cookies
These soft, bite-sized cookies coated in coconut are festive and fun, evoking the sweetness of tropical flavours.
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour
½ cup of desiccated coconut (plus a touch extra for rolling)
½ cup of powdered sugar
¼ cup of vegan butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C .
2. Combine flour, coconut and sugar in a bowl.
3. Add vegan butter and vanilla and mix into a soft dough.
4. Roll the dough into small balls. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes.
5. Roll warm cookies in extra coconut and let them cool.
Chocolate cashew cookies
These chewy cookies combine rich cocoa with crunchy cashews, making them a festive favourite for chocolate lovers.
Ingredients
1 cup of whole wheat flour
¼ cup of cocoa powder
½ cup of chopped cashews
½ cup of brown sugar
¼ cup of coconut oil
1 teaspoon of baking soda
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and sugar.
3. Stir in coconut oil and cashews to form dough.
4. Scoop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet.
5. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until firm on the edges.
Sesame peanut butter cookies
Nutty and slightly crunchy, these cookies combine sesame seeds with creamy peanut butter, offering a festive treat.
Ingredients
¾ cup of all-purpose flour
½ cup of peanut butter
½ cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon of baking powder
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 175°C.
2. Mix flour, baking powder and sugar.
3. Add peanut butter and knead into a dough.
4. Roll dough into small balls, flatten and coat with sesame seeds.
5. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes. Cool before serving.
Date and oat cookies
These naturally sweet cookies are packed with the goodness of oats and dates, offering a healthy and delicious Deepavali option.
Ingredients
1 cup of rolled oats
½ cup of chopped dates
½ cup of almond butter
¼ cup of maple syrup
1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Mix oats, cinnamon and chopped dates.
3. Add almond butter and maple syrup, stir to combine.
4. Scoop dough onto a baking tray and flatten slightly.
5. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes. Let cool before enjoying.
Pistachio rose cookies
Infused with the delicate floral essence of roses and the crunch of pistachios, these cookies are a luxurious and fragrant treat for Deepavali.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
½ cup of powdered sugar
½ cup of chopped pistachios
3 tbsp of rose water
¼ cup of vegan butter
A pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
2. Mix flour, sugar, salt and chopped pistachios in a bowl.
3. Add vegan butter and rose water, forming a soft dough.
4. Roll into small balls and flatten slightly on a baking tray.
5. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes until lightly golden. Cool before serving.
Spiced tea cookies
These cookies capture the warmth of tea spices, ideal for enjoying with a hot cup of tea during the festive season.
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups of whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon of ground ginger
¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
½ cup of brown sugar
¼ cup of coconut oil
2 tablespoons of plant-based milk
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and sugar.
3. Mix in coconut oil and plant-based milk until the dough comes together.
4. Roll into balls and press lightly onto a baking sheet.
5. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes. Cool before enjoying.
These vegan cookie recipes sprinkle just the right amount of festivity for the holiday season.
Happy Deepavali!
