This is ridiculously delicious and incredibly impressive. What if I said it was ridiculously simple too?
If you’ve followed me along in my food journey, you know very well that I love to create fancy food with a twist. Also, I’m not very picky. I like simple food that has a punch and is pleasing to the eye. I can’t ice cakes, and I can’t decorate fancy cookies. Still, I do love pretty things.
These Persian inspired cookies are just that. They are absolutely stunning, yet very simple, artistic cookies which have never failed to impress. Persian cookies and food are very dear to me. My neighbor aunt was an immensely fabulous cook who shared her traditional recipe with me, and I’ve twisted it a little bit to share this with you.
You’ll see here that the dough is a soft, pliable one.
You can add any spice to the dough that you like and refrigerate it until you are ready. I’ve used saffron for its flavor and natural tint.
The stuffing is nutty, fruity and not too sweet at all. It reminds me of an sweet Indian deep fried samosa that we make. Here, I’ve used chocolate nutty stuffing and a pure walnut fig stuffing. You can add coconut or slightly fried semolina with the nuts. Anything that you fancy.
Making the pretty designs are are quite the simplest. If you have a mold/cookie press, great. I used the mooncake mold from Amazon . If not, you could use a water glass, wine glass with a designed bottom, or a fork or a tong like I’ve used. The design stays perfect as you bake as the dough is not too buttery, so it holds its shape.
Check out my Moon cake Here that I baked a while ago.
I made these cookies for our annual cookie exchange. Below are the links of some fabulous bloggers and bakers who’ve shared their creations. Make sure to check them out and show them some love.
HAPPY BAKING!!! Happy Cookie Month!!
- 2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ⅓ cup butter or 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- ⅛ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 2 pinches or 20 strands of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp of hot water
- ½ cup water or little more or less
- ½ cup chopped figs
- 1½ cup walnuts
- 4 tbsp tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp cocoa(optional)
- 3 tbsp unsalted soft butter
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- ½ tsp green cardamom powder
- 1 tsp dried ginger powder
- You could use a stand mixer or a mixing bowl and hands.
- In a mixing bowl add the all purpose flour and whole wheat flour, salt and sugar. Add the cold butter and break it up with a fork or pastry cutter. Let it combine well. Then add the oil, saffron and mix well till combined. Slowly add the water little by little to form a dough. Don't work the dough too much. Once it comes together stop adding any more liquid. The dough will be soft, not too hard. Set aside.
- In a cuisinart or chopper, add the figs and walnuts and run the blade until it is of a coarse consistency. Add the sugar and run the mixer until is well incorporated. Last add the cocoa, butter, salt, cardamom powder and ginger powder. Let the machine run again to combine well. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degree for 20 minute.
- Take a small 2 inch sized ball and flatten it. The sides of the dough should be thinner than the center. Add a large heaping tablespoon in the middle and bring the sides to the middle and close the stuffing well. Flatten the dough lightly and make any design, indentation with a stamp, use a fork or tongs. Pierce couple of holes in the cookie with a toothopick
- If you want it golden brown, brush the top with egg wash, whipping cream or sprinkle with some sugar.
- Transfer the cookie immediately on to a baking pan and bake for 20 minutes.
- Take it out and let cool on a cooling rack.
- These stay good on the counter top for up to a week.
Holiday Cookie Exchange 2016
Wife Mama Foodie | Gluten Free Icebox Cookie
Now Forager | Vanilla Bean Marshmallow & Pink Peppercorn Shortbread Cookies
DisplacedHousewife | Chocolate Peppermint Crinkles
Tutti Dolci | Brown Butter Chai Snickerdoodles
The Daley Plate | Romany Creams
Fig & Bleu | Cornmeal & Cherry Shortbreads
Cloudy Kitchen | Anzac Biscuits
The Beach House Kitchen | Double Chocolate Peppermint Sugar Cookies
Vanilla and Bean | Cocoa Nibby Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Chez LaRae | White Rollout Cookies
Husbands That Cook | Apple Cider Snickerdoodles
Rainy Day Bites | Melody Cookies
Bakeritablog | Brown Butter Shortbreads With Dark Chocolate
The Jam Lab | Thandai Shortbread Cookies
Katie Clova | Espresso Caramel Thumbprint Cookies
Food Fashion Party | Stuffed Shortbread Cookies
My Kitchen Love
The cookie sounds absolutely delicious and that filling sounds amazing!!! Ok I am absolutely shameless, but if you DO make them again, please please keep a few aside for me ? lol. The pictures are simply STUNNING my friend!! My absolutely favorite are the process shots! Lucky Joscelyn 😉
You are tooooooo cute. You know you’ll be seeing them very soon;). The process shots were my fave too. Thanks to my model for making it more fun.
Thanks girl.
xoxo
These cookies are just simply stunning!! I could stare at them all day. I love how you used the mooncake molds to make the cool designs — genius. So beautiful. Definitely want to make these!!! xoxo
Thanks thanks a ton. It was so much fun to make them. Enjoyed the cookie exchange and all thanks to you.
xoxo
I love the look and sound of these so much. I have everything except the green cardamom powder. Could I crush some cardamom seeds instead!
Thanks Jen. They are super good. It’s just green cardamom seeds, crushed. Perfect.
So, so impressive and they sound incredibly delicious! I love the mooncake mold! Can’t wait to try your recipe!
It’s definitely cookie season! We’ve been baking more than a few. Love shortbread, and these look terrific. Thanks!
Thanks so much John. I can imagine how festive it must be in your place.
xx
They must be extremely delicious with that fruity nutty filling!
So so good Angie.
These cookies are beautiful! I’m a sucker for any cookie with a stamp on it, but that filling is what’s hooked me. Fantastic!
Thanks so much Teresa. I agree stamp cookies are so much fun.
xx
I’d say these are incredibly impressive! And yet I know there’s a way I would probably fumble them up. 😉 They’re a stunning cookie and so lovely to share in a cookie exchange! Happy holidays Asha!!
Samantha, thanks so much. These are so easy hon, definitely try it out.
Happy Holidays.
xx
I cannot wait to try these Asha! The flavors sound amazing! .. Mostly I used to go with Gluten Free Cookies , but I want to try these stuffed shortbread cookies.
I really hope you can try this out.
Thanks so much for stopping by. xx
Lovely pictures. The cookies are so cute.
Thanks so much mummy.
Ah, I’m so happy that I had the pleasure of tasting these beautiful and delicious cookies, Asha! I was so excited when I got your package in the mail and could smell the fragrant spices as soon as I opened the tin. I need to find some pretty stamps like yours so I can try to recreate these again 🙂
It was my pleasure to make them for you and so glad you loved them.
xoxo
I love your step-by-step pictures. I think I could make these! hee hee!! They are lovely and the ingredients list is mouthwatering!
You are such an amazing chef and I know this will be a piece of cookie:).
xoxo
Hi! These sound amazing, especially as I am looking for recipes with very little to no sugar in them – the figs will add enough of sweetness! I checked this recipe out a couple of days ago and remember parts of the recipe for the dough… but now I cannot seem to find the quantity of the ingredients – do I remember it wrong or were they also listed in the box at the end? (also I would have given it 5 stars but it wouldn’t let me!)
Sorry that the ingredients was acting funny. I corrected something and things got erased, now everything is ok and I hope you get to make them.
xx
These cookies look so pretty! I love the stuffing idea and the moon cake mold imprint..
Thanks so so much.
Wow these cookies are so beautiful and the filling sounds delicious!!