These 35 cardamom recipes include cakes, cookies, breads, buns, savory dishes, and more, all built around cardamom’s warm, aromatic flavor.
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My favorite warm fall spice is softer and more aromatic than cinnamon ~ more mysterious than a pumpkin spice blend. Cardamom comes from South India, but it’s become a staple in the Middle East and Scandinavia as well. It’s starting to catch on here in the US, and I’ve been developing cardamom recipes for this site for over 15 years.
If you haven’t discovered cardamom, I’m excited to introduce you ~ it’s fun to give tried and true recipes a brand new flavor profile with just a little tweak from the spice cabinet.
Cardamom might be my favorite spice
➡ What does cardamom taste like? The flavor is warm, aromatic, and lingering, with a little hint of mint. It can be used like cinnamon, but it’s not as strident.
➡ It gives my fall baking a subtle, but fresh, sophisticated lift. If you like to tweak recipes, cardamom is perfect.
➡ Cardamom pairs beautifully with chocolate, coffee, nuts, citrus, and other fruits ~ and can go sweet or savory.
Cardamom recipes
Cardamom can go almost anywhere you’d normally reach for cinnamon or pumpkin spice, but it gives familiar recipes a completely different personality. Start by using it half-and-half with cinnamon, or add a little to your favorite pumpkin spice blend and see what happens.
Swedish Cardamom Buns (kardemummabullar)
Swedish Cardamom Buns are soft, plush sweet rolls with a fragrant cardamom sugar filling. This easy knotted pastry is beyond delicious
Cardamom Coffee Cake
Cardamom Coffee Cake from the 1974 Moosewood Cookbook ~ Mollie Katzen calls this epic bundt the richest cake in the world!
Cardamom Cruffins
Cardamom cruffins are easy breakfast buns made with Pillsbury crescent roll dough.
Cardamom Crumb Cake
My New York style Cardamom Crumb Cake has the warm, aromatic lift of cardamom in every bite.
Cardamom Sugar Cookies
Simple cardamom sugar cookies made special with a snowflake cookie stamp! Cardamom makes your holiday cookies feel brand new.
Cardamom with citrus recipes
Cardamom and citrus are natural partners because cardamom has its own lemony, almost eucalyptus-like notes. This unique but classic combination shows up often in Scandinavian, Middle Eastern, and South Asian baking and sweets.
Orange Cardamom Muffins
Orange & Cardamom Muffins ~ bright citrus + warm spice in a tender, not-too-sweet breakfast muffin.
Orange Cardamom Scones
Orange cardamom scones are soft and warm, with a pop of citrus and my favorite aromatic spice ~ a little winter luxury I whip up in minutes.
Orange Cardamom Bread
Orange Cardamom Bread is a warmly spiced Fall loaf cake bursting with citrus flavor! The secret is my famous orange sugar!
Orange Cardamom Crumb Cake
My orange cardamom crumb cake is a New York style coffee cake bursting with fresh orange flavor and piled high with lightly spiced crumbs. Breakfast really doesn't get much better.
Cardamom with chocolate and coffee recipes
This is where it gets interesting! Cardamom gives a mysterious depth of flavor to chocolate, coffee, or both together. Cardamom is a classic partner for coffee ~ think Turkish coffee, where the spice is often brewed right along with it. Some of my all time favorites fall into this category of cardamom recipes.
Turkish Coffee Shortbread
Turkish Coffee Shortbread is buttery and delicious with a striking flavor combination of strong coffee and warm cardamom ~ this is dessert to linger over!
Cardamom Coffee Blondies
These sultry Cardamom Coffee Blondies with smokey undertones of espresso and the aromatic cardamom aren’t your mom’s chocolate chip blondie!
Coffee and Cardamom Truffles
Easy Coffee and Cardamom Truffles ~ this easy homemade candy is a decadent combination of dark chocolate, cardamom, and coffee, reminiscent of the flavors of Turkish coffee!
How to Make Turkish Coffee
My easy, approachable way to make Turkish style coffee at home ~ no special equipment or technique, just bold flavor and a bit of cardamom magic.
Buckwheat Cardamom Chocolate Chip Cookies
Buckwheat cardamom chocolate chip cookies made with healthy buckwheat flour and a hint of warm cardamom. Deep dark chocolate rounds out the profile of a very special cookie!
Cardamom Affogato
Cardamom affogato is a shot of espresso poured over a scoop of homemade cardamom ice cream for a simple elegant Italian dessert.
Roasted Cardamom and Coffee Pound Cake
Roasted Cardamom and Coffee Pound Cake ~ this unique pound cake is infused with the fragrant and exotic flavors of Turkish coffee ~ it’s perfect for breakfast, coffee breaks, afternoon tea, or dessert.
Cardamom with nuts recipes
Cardamom is especially good with nuts because its warm, floral flavor plays off their rich, toasty side. Pistachios bring out its sweeter notes, while walnuts give it a deeper, earthier contrast.
Cardamom Walnut Crescent Cookies
Cardamom Walnut Crescent Cookies are a beautiful and fragrant addition to any holiday cookie assortment!
Pistachio Cardamom Pound Cake
Pistachio Cardamom Pound Cake features a classic Middle Eastern flavor pairing of warm cardamom spice and crunchy pistachios — it's an unusual and delicious cake perfect with coffee or tea.
Pistachio Cardamom Granola
Pistachio cardamom granola is a healthy homemade cereal with crunchy pistachios and aromatic cardamom.
Persian Love Cookies
Persian Love Cookies infused with cardamom and almonds for tea parties, weddings, showers, etc. If LOVE had a flavor, this would be it!
Cardamom with fruits recipes
Cardamom is an easy way to make familiar fruit desserts feel a little less predictable. I especially like it with apples, plums, rhubarb, and berries, where just a little goes a long way. It’s a surprise hit with bananas!
French Apple Jam Recipe
French Apple Jam is super easy to make and full of fresh apple flavor with a hint of cardamom. Its chunky texture and warm golden color shines on everything from toast and croissants to your next fall cheese board!
Gluten Free Rhubarb Crisp with Cardamom and Vanilla
Gluten Free Rhubarb Crisp with Cardamom and Vanilla ~ I hate to sound bossy but you just have to make this rhubarb crisp at least once this spring, it's too good to miss out on. Your reward will be a mouthwatering flavor and drop dead gorgeous color that only rhubarb can give you.
Honeycrisp Apple Cake
This delicious apple cake starts with a moist cardamom base paved with layer upon layer of thinly sliced Honeycrisp apples and topped with a buttery crumble.
Lingonberry Jam Tart with Cardamom
My Lingonberry Jam Tart with Cardamom is an easy one bowl Scandinavian inspired shortbread crumble tart with a fabulous flavor combo. I sidetracked my diet for a second slice, and it was worth it!
Jewish Cardamom Apple Cake
A traditional Jewish apple cake recipe passed down through generations.
Cardamom Banana Cake with Spiced Mascarpone Frosting
Transform ripe bananas into a luxurious moist banana cake with spiced mascarpone frosting. The ultimate upgrade to classic cream cheese!
Cardamom Plum Cake
Plums + cardamom, baked into an easy coffee cake with a soft crumb and bright, aromatic lift.
Cardamom Linzer Cookies with Lingonberry Jam
A delicious twist on traditional linzer cookies with cardamom-infused dough and lingonberry jam filling. Might be the perfect holiday cookie!
Cardamom Fig Jam
This delicious Cardamom Fig Jam is a small batch freezer jam that's wonderful on toast, in sandwiches, cheese plates, yogurt or oatmeal!
Cardamom Plum Crumble Bars
Cardamom Plum Crumble Bars ~ plums are in their element right now so no time to dither about what to make with them: bake them up to their juiciest potential in this buttery cardamom laced crumble…
Cardamom and Brandy Poached Figs
Cardamom and Brandy Poached Figs is a simple, luxurious fresh fruit dessert that takes just minutes to put together ~ it’s the perfect light ending to a summer meal!
Savory cardamom recipes
Cardamom has a whole other life beyond baking ~ it’s a classic savory spice with lamb, chicken, rice, and other warming spices, especially in Middle Eastern and South Asian cooking. It also gives my mulled wine that unmistakable aromatic depth.
Ottolenghi’s Chicken with Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Rice
Chicken with Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Rice is a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe, and probably the most requested meal in my house ~ it's a comforting chicken dinner and a must-make!
Fragrant Toasted Almond Rice Pilaf
My Toasted Almond Rice Pilaf has roots in ancient cuisines, and is naturally gluten free and vegan. It's the perfect rice side dish for holidays year round.
Slow Cooker Mulled Wine
Slow Cooker Mulled Wine ~ this warming winter cocktail scents the whole house, and guests can help themselves! Let's get this party started!
Moroccan Meatballs with Cardamom and Lemon
Moroccan Meatballs with Cardamom and Lemon are lemony cardamom spiced lamb meatballs nestled in creamy tahini sauce. I have a feeling this is going to become your new favorite meal!
The Cardamom Rose Cocktail
The Cardamom Rose Cocktail is a romantic cocktail made with a homemade rose simple syrup, fresh citrus, and bitters ~ it’s got a gorgeous pink color!
