Celebrate Deepavali with seven delicious plant-based, dairy-free cookies

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. – YOUTUBE @ DIY WITH NANCYG

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. – YOUTUBE @GOODFUL

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. – YOUTUBE @FOODWISHES

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.– YOUTUBE @COOKINGWITHNATALKA

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. – YOUTUBE @BAKEWITHELLE

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 chai cookies. – YOUTUBE @ALLRECIPES

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!