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½ cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped

➣The easiest way to chop pistachios is to pulse them in a food processor about twenty times. Otherwise, use a chef’s knife on a cutting board and be gentle so that they don’t shoot all over the place.

➣If you are aching to try these cookies but can’t afford pistachios at the moment, replace them with chopped almonds.

PREHEAT THE oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two cookie sheets.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, rice milk, rose water, vanilla, lime juice, and zest. Add the cornstarch and whisk until dissolved.

Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Mix well.

Roll the dough into balls about 2 teaspoons in size (a bit smaller than a walnut) and dip the tops into the chopped pistachios. Press down with two fingers; the dough will flatten a bit and pistachios will collect on the bottom.

Place the cookies, nut side up, about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. You should be able to fit sixteen on a standard baking sheet. Bake for 13 minutes; they will be soft but that’s okay, they will firm up as they cool.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheets for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE-RASPBERRY COOKIES

MAKES 2 DOZEN

TIME: 35 MINUTES

It’s official—everyone loves the combination of chocolate and raspberry. These cookies are soft, dense, chewy, and just a little puffy. They’re wonderful as ice-cream sandwich cookies.

½ cup raspberry preserves

1 cup sugar

⅓ cup canola oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa pow-

der (sifted if clumpy)

1½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

PREHEAT THE oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the raspberry preserves, sugar, canola oil, vanilla, and almond extract.

In a separate mixing bowl, sift together the other ingredients. Add the dry to the wet in three batches, mixing well with a fork after each addition. When you get to the last batch, you may need to use your hands to work the batter into a soft and pliable dough.

Roll the dough into walnut-size balls and then flat ten them with your hands into 2½-inch-diameter disks. Place on a cookie sheet (they need be only inch apart because they don’t spread out when baking). Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. You can also serve these cookies still warm over a scoop of ice cream. Or three.

FIG SMUSHED-ANISE-ALMOND COOKIES

MAKES 24 COOKIES

TIME: 40 MINUTES

You could call these Koala Noses because that’s what they look like. Using demerara sugar adds a slight brown-sugar taste and a little crunch because the crystals are bigger than normal sugar, but you can use turbinado sugar (as available in supermarkets as Sugar in the Raw) or even regular old granulated if that’s what you have; just cut back on it by two tablespoons or so. These cookies are crispy outside, chewy inside, and the anise pairs beautifully with the fruity figs. Plus, they will have your kitchen smelling like an Italian bakery.

¼ cup soy milk

2 teaspoons ground flaxseed, or 1½ teaspoons whole flaxseeds

1¼ cups demerara sugar

⅔ cup canola oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon anise extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup finely chopped almonds (start with slivers or sliced to make your life easier)

12 dried black mission figs, rough stem removed, cut in half lengthwise

PREHEAT THE oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.

If using preground flaxseeds, place in a mixing bowl and beat vigorously with the soy milk. If using whole flaxseeds, grind them up in a blender and then add the soy milk. Blend until frothy. Add to the mixing bowl and proceed with the recipe.

Add the sugar and oil to the mixing bowl and beat until emulsified. Mix in the vanilla.

Add about 1 cup of the flour along with the