The cookies are on the crispier side, but to soften them up and to up the romance factor, I like to serve them with rose whipped cream : Ingredients 1 cup cold heavy cream 2 teaspoons rose water Put cream and rose water into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Use immediately.

1 ¼ cups sugar
½ cup canola oil
3 tbsp rice or soy milk
1 tbsp rose syrup (plus 4 tbsp for whipped cream)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp grated lime zest
¼ cup cornstarch
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cardamom
½ cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
1 cup whipping cream (or coconut fat)

1 ¼ cups sugar 3 tbsp rice or soy milk 1 tbsp rose syrup (plus 4 tbsp for whipped cream) 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp fresh lime juice 1 tsp grated lime zest 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 cup whipping cream (or coconut fat)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two baking pans (I like to use silicon mats).

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: sugar, oil, rice or soy milk, rose syrup, vanilla extract, lime juice and zest. Add the cornstarch and whisk until dissolved. Mix in the flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom.

Roll the dough into balls about 2 teaspoons in size and press the tops into the chopped pistachios. Press down with two fingers, the dough will flatten a bit and pistachios will stick to the dough.

Place the cookies, nut side up on your baking sheet. You can fit 16 on a sheet, but I would go with 12 since the cookies spread apart a bit as they cook. The original recipe says to bake for 13 minutes, but mine baked in about 9 or 10. So just keep an eye on them and take them out when the edges begin to brown.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack until they are completely cool.

As you wait for the cookies to cool, make the whipped cream. In a mixing bowl, use an electric beater to mix together 1 cup of whipping cream and 4 tablespoons of rose syrup. Serve with the cookies.