Persian Chickpea Cookies (Nan-E Nokhodchi)

“Persian Chickpea Cookies with Pistachios (Nan-e Nokhodchi) is a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth cookie, made with the fragrant flavours of rose water and cardamom.”

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil or ghee

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon finely ground cardamom

1/2 tablespoon rose water

1 and 3/4 cups fine chickpea flour

2-3 tablespoons chopped, powdered or ground pistachios (I used peanuts as that’s what I had in the pantry)

Directions

Combine the oil, sugar, cardamom and rose water in bowl. Beat for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy.

Sift chickpea flour and add to the sugar mixture bowl. Beat for a minute more until the dough is no longer sticky.

Dust your work surface with some chickpea flour and knead the dough for 10 minutes until it is more workable. The dough is very crumbly.

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and set aside for 2 hours. It is important to rest the dough for 2 hours. Do not refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 175 C and line baking tray with parchment paper.

Roll out the dough on a dusted work surface until it is 3/4-inch thick. Cut out cookies using a 1-inch clover-shaped cookie cutter. Persian chickpea cookies are commonly made with a four-leaf cookie cutter.  However, you can use any desired shape. Place the cookies on the baking tray, spaced 1 inch apart. Re-roll and repeat until all the dough is used up.

Sprinkle chopped nuts on top of each cookie.

Place cooking tray in middle rack and bake for 15 to 20 minutes but check after 10 mins as the cookies brown very quickly.

Once the cookies turn a light golden colour, remove from oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Then carefully transfer to a serving plate to cool completely. Be careful when you transfer the cookies as they crumble very easily.

You can store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.