These Cardamom Recipes showcase an aromatic collection of desserts and baked goods. If you're wondering how to use cardamom pods, you’ll find cozy inspiration here—from Indian sweets and snacks to baked treats that are sure to impress.
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Cardamom—also known as cardamon or elaichi in Hindi—is a fragrant spice native to Southeast Asia, with a floral aroma and a hint of citrus.
There are two types of cardamom pods: green and black. Green cardamom is more common and used in both sweet and savory dishes, especially in Indian, Middle Eastern, and Scandinavian cooking. Black cardamom has a bolder, smoky flavor and is mostly used in savory Indian and Chinese dishes.
Cooking with cardamom
Cardamom is a versatile spice that adds a unique, aromatic flavor to both sweet and savory dishes.
Whole pods are often used with spices like cinnamon or cloves to flavor curries, biryanis, pilafs, and stews. You’ll also find crushed pods in drinks like chai, adding a warm, fragrant touch, as demonstrated in our chai mug cake recipe.
For mango recipes, it lends a lovely aromatic note, while in fall baking recipes, cardamom enriches the flavors.
How to Make Cardamom Powder at Home
Green cardamom is a staple in Indian sweets like halwa, laddoo, kheer, and also shows up in baking and spice blends like garam masala. While store-bought powder is convenient, it tends to lose its aroma over time—freshly ground cardamom is so much more flavorful.
To make cardamom powder at home, just grind 1 cup of green cardamom pods in a dry grinder (like a coffee grinder, NutriBullet or Vitamix) until fine. Sift if needed to remove any husks. I walk through the full process (plus a quick video) in the blog post!
Cardamom Desserts
The floral flavor of cardamom is delicious in sweet recipes — from cupcakes and puddings to mousse, halwa, and mango treats—are full of cozy, aromatic goodness.
Easy Badam Burfi with Almond Flour is a foolproof Indian sweet ready in just 15 minutes!
Saffron Tres Leches Cupcakes feature a fragrant cardamom sponge soaked in a saffron-infused three-milk blend—an irresistible, exotic twist on a classic dessert and one of our all-time favorite cupcakes.
Mango Rice Pudding is so creamy, luxurious and absolutely terrific! It is one of the tastiest desserts to make using fresh mango. Made in an instant pot with just 5 ingredients, it is inspired by Asian mango sago.
Mango Mousse with cardamom whipped cream is the perfect way to celebrate mango season! It is luscious and creamy, yet light and fluffy, bursting with sweet ripe mango in every bite.
Almond Halwa with Almond Flour
Almond Halwa with Almond Flour is a quick and easy take on classic Badam Halwa. Made with ground cardamom and saffron, this indulgent Indian dessert comes together in minutes, and it tastes just as luxurious as the traditional badam ka halwa.
Baked mangoes are soft, sweet fruit and topped with an irresistible honey coconut-almond oat streusel. Paired with vanilla ice cream, it's an outrageously delicious and unique cardamom dessert with a stunning presentation.
Baking with Cardamom
These yummy baking recipes with cardamom are perfect for brunch, breakfast, or anytime you’re craving something sweet. From cakes and cookies to biscuits and baked casseroles, there’s a cozy cardamom treat for every occasion.
Hawaiian Roll French Toast Casserole with Raspberries and Cardamom
It is an irresistible combination of soft, custardy Hawaiian rolls infused with fragrant green cardamom and fresh raspberries, all topped with a sweet, crunchy almond crust. The warm aroma and irresistible flavor of the sweet casserole will transform your morning into something truly special!
Rasmalai cake is the ultimate dessert mashup of Indian rasmalai and Mexican tres leches cake! Cardamom-scented creamy ricotta whipped cream slathered on a cardamom sponge cake and then soaked in saffron infused milk.
This microwave mango mug cake is moist, fluffy, and egg-free. I start by microwaving the chopped mango, which intensifies the flavor and makes it irresistibly delicious!
It is a tropical twist to the classic French cherry clafoutis! Just blend the batter, pour into a dish, top with fresh mangoes and juicy raspberries, and bake until set. It's quick, effortless and utterly irresistible with the ground cardamom.
This microwave chai cake is like enjoying a hot cup of Indian chai with a spoon! A soft and fluffy cardamom cake infused with chai tea and complemented with ginger.
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It is a fabulous mango dessert recipe that's quick and easy to prepare. Warm, juicy mango filling, topped with a cardamom-laced streusel-like-crumbly, almond oat topping is absolutely divine served with vanilla ice cream.
These cardamom cookies are tender, buttery, crisp, and melt in your mouth. An easy slice-and-bake cookie recipe made with just 4 ingredients and infused with the ground cardamom.
These cashew cookies are eggless, buttery, with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Packed with cashew nuts and flavored with ground cardamom pods, they are perfect for Christmas or anytime!
Cardamom Flavored Drinks
These refreshing drink recipes with cardamom bring a fragrant twist to your favorite drinks—from creamy lassis to spiced smoothies.
This sweet lassi is bursting with the flavor of fresh cardamom and sweet strawberries! With just 5 ingredients, it is a creamy, refreshing, and fruity twist on the classic Indian lassi.
This mango milk is bursting with the flavor of fresh, sweet mangoes and elaichi! Made using just 3 main ingredients, it is like a mango lassi without yogurt.
Cardamom Flavored Icecreams
Cool off with these sweet cardamom recipes that take ice cream to the next level! From traditional kulfi to easy no-churn options, each one is packed with warm, aromatic flavor.
This kulfi recipe is incredibly creamy without any ice crystals. Made using only 5 ingredients, it is super easy to make without an ice cream maker. This mega-popular cardamom ice cream will knock your socks off!
Homemade black sesame ice cream is creamy, dreamy and made using toasted black sesame seeds and ground cardamom pods.
This mango kulfi recipe is the best mango ice cream you'll ever taste! Made without an ice cream maker, it captures the flavors of real mango.
It is made with fresh strawberries, cardamom and condensed milk. Made at home without ice cream maker, this is easy and amazingly delicious!
This eggless kulfi ice cream cake recipe consists of a soft pistachio cake layered with creamy kulfi and cardamom whipped cream. Easy yet impressive ice cream cake loaded with cardamom and pistachios is perfect for all your entertaining.
No-Bake Snacks Using Cardamom
It is thick, ultra creamy and tastes terrific! Made with only 5 ingredients using fresh mangoes, you'll love this healthy treat for breakfast, snack or dessert. It's like a tropical vacation in a jar!
Healthy Indian Overnight Oats have unique flavors infused with ground cardamom, saffron and then topped with pistachios. It is an Indian-style oats recipe that tastes like Kulfi ice cream!
It is a delicious combination of fresh mangoes, yogurt, coconut, all flavored with ground cardamom.
Whether it's making chai tea more cozy or adding rich flavor to curry, green cardamom's delightful aroma always captures attention. Its ability to work in both sweet and savory foods shows why it's so important in cooking around the world.
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Kitchen at Hoskins on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
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