Cookie of the day · Saturday, November 7, 2026
Vegan Rose Cardamom Coconut Sandwich Cookies
Tender, buttery coconut-cardamom rounds sandwiched with a fluffy rose water buttercream and rolled in chopped pistachios. They're a fragrant, gift-ready Diwali sweet that tastes even better the day after you make it.
- Total time
- 2 hrs 20 mins
- Makes
- 23 sandwich cookies (46 rounds)
- Oven
- 350°F
- Ingredients
- 16
Includes 20 min chill and 15 min set.
About these cookies
These cookies are short and tender, with a melt-in-your-mouth crumb. The coconut gives them a little chew, and a generous dose of cardamom adds warmth. Between each pair is a fluffy buttercream scented with rose water, and the edges are rolled in chopped pistachios for crunch and color. Make them on Saturday, November 7, and they'll be ready to share or gift for Diwali on Sunday.
Steps
- Tap a step to check it off.
Tips for success
- Use vegan butter that is soft enough to dent but still cool. If it's greasy or melting, the disks will spread too thin and brown before the centers set.
- Dip the glass in sugar before pressing every ball, or press through a small square of parchment. The soft dough sticks to a bare glass.
- Shape every round to 1 3/4 inches wide and 1/3 inch thick. That keeps the bake time accurate and the count at 46 rounds, so every round has a partner.
- Rose water strength varies a lot by brand. Start with 1 teaspoon in the filling and add more in 1/4-teaspoon steps, because a little too much can taste soapy.
- Wait until the rounds are completely cool before filling them. Even slightly warm cookies will melt the vegan buttercream and make the sandwiches slide.
Swaps
- Vegan butter in the dough: Use 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of solid refined coconut oil and increase the dough salt to 1/2 teaspoon. The cookies will be crisper and more crumbly, with no added coconut flavor.
- Rose water: Use the same amount of orange blossom water for a citrusy floral filling, or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for a simpler cardamom-vanilla vegan buttercream.
- Ground cardamom: Grind the seeds from about 18 green cardamom pods to make 1 1/2 teaspoons for the dough, plus 3 more pods for the filling. Freshly ground cardamom tastes noticeably brighter and stronger.
- Pistachios: Roll the edges in the same weight of finely chopped almonds, or in an extra 1/3 cup of shredded coconut, lightly toasted and cooled. For a nut-free batch, use the coconut.
Storing
Filled sandwiches keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. Made the day before Diwali, they soften slightly against the buttercream overnight, which makes them even nicer. For gifting further ahead, freeze the unfilled rounds for up to 2 months, then thaw them at room temperature and fill them the day you serve them.
This recipe was developed with AI and checked for vegan ingredients and sensible baking times, but it hasn’t been test-baked in our kitchen yet. How our recipes are made.
