Light and aromatic, Naan Berenji Persian Rice Flour Cookies are delicate, lightly sweetened, pretty cookies. Traditionally served around the Persian New Year and welcome any time of year! Our recipe is low in sugar and naturally gluten-free. Naan berenji is my favorite of all Persian cookies and sweets! I can easily eat a whole plate of rice flour cookies.
I made these cookies at least a half a dozen times last spring in anticipation of the Persian New Year. I tried every rendition and settled on this recipe that I am sharing in this post today. I had fun experimenting with various methods of decorating the little cookies as well. I share tips for easy imprints here and in the recipe notes.
With this batch, I used a thimble to imprint and decorate the tops of the cookies. For future cookies, I learned to press them down flatter before baking.
Flavored with rosewater, these cookies are quite aromatic.
I used a cookie press with this batch of cookies. It resulted in larger, thicker cookies. They are looking better with each attempt! To order a cookie press and make similar pretty shaped cookies, order your cookie press stamp set HERE.
As you can see from the images in this post, I used many decorating techniques. Each time I make these cookies they turn out a bit different.
Here I tried pressing the cookie balls to a flatter shape with the bottom of a glass. This technique resulted in some cracking. I used a thimble to imprint a little circle on the tops.
Some say that the concept of cookies originates in Persia. Hooray! Another great thing from our culture. As a culture, we can take credit for long-haired cats, intricate hand-woven carpets, and tiny cookies!
Persian cookies are just how I like things, small. The typically smaller size of these cookies makes portion control much easier to manage. Five or six mini Persian cookies are equivalent to one standard-sized cookie in the U.S.
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Specialty Ingredients Needed to Make Persian Rice Flour Cookies:
There are two unique ingredients needed for this recipe – rice flour and rose water. Sadaf and Golchin are well-known brands among the Persian community (both companies are in the L.A. area). You can find Sadaf and Golchin rose water and rice flour in international/middle eastern markets. Overall Steps for Making these Rice Flour Cookies:
- Mix ingredients
- Squeeze the dough together with hands
- Wrap dough and chill
- Shape small balls, flatten and decorate
- Bake
Steps for Preparing the Cookie Dough for Baking:
- Once you mix the ingredients together, press and squeeze with your hands to form a large ball.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and cool in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
- Roll and shape the dough into small circles, about 1/2 inch in diameter. Working with a rice flour-based cookie takes some getting used to it. The dough is delicate and crumbly. You must use your hands to squeeze the dough together and to shape it. Place balls on a tray and flatten and shape with your fingers and hands. These cookies stay intact and will not spread so they can be arranged close together on the tray.
- A little trick for making a pretty floral pattern without fancy molds is to use a thimble! I have one in our sewing kit thanks to my handy mom.
- Press a circle in the center. Then press 3 or 4 more circles going around the sides. It takes a bit of time and patience but the results are pretty. Artsy kids and teens will have fun helping decorate these cookies.
- Traditionally Naan Berenji cookies are topped with poppy seeds. I keep chia seeds in the house and use chia as the topping. Only a pinch is needed.
I love the taste of these cookies so much! It’s hard for me not to overindulge in snacking on the cookie dough. The rosy flavor reminds me of eating Persian ice cream, mmm.
Friends, I tried every version and combination of these cookies. I used butter, I used vegetable oil, I used olive oil, and I used combinations of the oil ingredient. I made Naan Berenji cookies 6 times in two weeks! I settled on using olive oil for this recipe. I recommend using a mild and buttery olive oil vs. an olive oil that has a very robust and bold taste.
California brand “Mild and Buttery” is my all-time favorite olive oil.
If you have not tried these cookies, be prepared for a crumbly, flaky texture and an aromatic taste. Rose water is a different flavor for some people that may take getting used to. Once you do my guess is you will like these fragrant little gems.
If you are serious about making these pretty cookies I recommend you order a set of Cookie Press Flower Stamps. You can get yours by clicking HERE.
My final round making these cookies I took my time, used the cookie press (to order a cookie press with to produce this flour shape click HERE), and some gold brush on chocolate paint I found in a confectionary section of a kitchen store. I found the little candy hearts in a cupcake decorating kit. I was pleased with the result and took them to an extended family gathering.
A plateful of tiny Persian cookies is so fun to have around for special occasions. We often have them on our Persian new year (called Norooz, also spelled Norouz, Nowruz, Noruz, and Nowrouz) special table setting called the Haftseen (also spelled Haft-seen, Haftsin, and Haft-sin). For more information about our spring Persian New Year celebrations, see our post on Haftseen for Norooz.
I sometimes double up on the sugar when making these for extended family gatherings. It is more traditional to have them much sweeter than I make them for myself and our immediate family. These cookies are best with a steaming cup of Persian cardamom tea. For a modern twist, try them with a cozy cup of Hot Mulled Apple Cider!
Another favorite Persian dessert recipe of ours is Persian Rice Pudding made with coconut milk!
Naan Berenji Persian Rice Flour Cookies
Light and aromatic, Naan Berenji Persian Rice Flour Cookies are delicate, lightly sweetened, pretty cookies. Traditionally served around the Persian New Year and welcome any time of year! Our recipe is low in sugar and naturally gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil (buttery variety)
- 1/2 cup powdered/confectioner's sugar
- 1/4 cup rose water
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 cups of rice flour (basmati)
- A few pinches of chia seeds or poppy seeds for cookie decor
Instructions
- Whisk together the oil, sugar, and rose water
- Stir in egg yolks
- Add rice flour and stir until crumbly
- Squeeze and mix with hands
- Shape into a large ball
- Refrigerate for a couple of hours (preferably overnight)
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
- Shape into small round balls about 1/2 inch in diameter
- Flatten balls into cookie shape
- Decorate with thimble or cookie press
- Sprinkle tops of cookies with chia seeds or poppy seeds
- Bake until edges are just slightly browned, 20-25 minutes
- Makes 2 to 3 dozen cookies depending on the size
Notes
If you are looking to make traditional Persian Naan Berenji Rice Flour Cookie (instead of my modern, healthier recipe shared in this recipe card and post), use up to one full cup of powdered sugar and a full cup of oil or butter.
To make a modern cookie use any of the following substitutions for butter (the traditional fat used to make naan berenji Persian cookies).
- buttery olive oil (my preference)
- vegetable
- coconut oil
Choose any of the following options for decorating rice flour cookies. The dough is soft and easy to imprint.
- thumbprint
- thimble imprints (half circles creating a geometric flower shape). Press a circle in the center. Then press 3 or 4 more circles going around the sides. It takes a bit of time and patience but the results are pretty.
- flower shape cookie press
- sprinkled with poppy seeds (traditional) or chia seeds (modern)
- painted with gold chocolate
- sprinkled with flower-shaped sprinkles or other holiday-themed sprinkles
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 110Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 5mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g
Hugs,
Bita
Great recipe, but it seemed kind of wasteful leaving my oven on all night. I think if I make these again I’ll probably rearrange the steps so that step 1 is after step 7.
Hee hee, good point David! Thanks for catching that. I have updated the recipe so that the steps make more sense. I agree…we won’t wan tto leave our ovens on all night while waiting for the cookie dough to set. So tell me David, how did you like these cookies? Sounds like they were good if you are making them again? Hope so and have a great day dear.
Well Bita I was a bit thrown off with the addition of two egg yolks to this recipe but I thought what the hell let me give it a shot I don’t like it
because naan berenji is rice flour shortbread and the eggs just throw the whole thing off
the center of the cookies remain pasty no matter how much you make them short of burning them
I would not make them again
My own recipe renders a more authentic cookie
Hi Lola, thank you so much for trying this recipe and taking the time to share your experiences with it. How interesting that you are referring to my favorite cookies as “rice flour shortbread”. To my palate, Persian rice flour cookies | Naan Berenji cookies taste very different than short bread cookies. I like your reference however and I am going to think about it with each bite! As I’m sure you understand, with a food culture that is literally thousands of years old, there are many, many variations of each recipe according to region, family, and from person to person. I’d love to try your recipe too! Where can I find it? As we are approaching our big holiday, Norooz, I will be making at least one batch of these cookies, probably more, so I welcome the opportunity to try your variation too <3. Best wishes and again thank you for the comment Lola joon.
Hi Lola jan, thanks for the feedback! My recipes are most certainly “modern”. I’m sorry you did not have good results and couldn’t get them to cook all the way through without burning. I’ve never had this issue but I made my cookies, very, very small. I’ll have to experiment with your version as well. Best wishes!