Nan Panjereh - Persian Rosettes is a traditional Persian cookie that is crisp and light. Once you learn the technique, it is easy and fun to make!
Persian desserts and sweets are lightly aromatic and just sweet enough to make you happy. Some popular Persian sweets are Kachi - Persian Halva Pudding, Morabba Beh - Persian Quince Jam and cake yazdi- Persian cardamom muffins. Today I'm going to introduce another delicious Persian delicacy called Persian rosettes . 
Yes! Spring is around the corner, and we are getting ready to welcome spring!
Persian rosette cookies for spring
I am so in love with the last days of winter, when nature starts to wake up slowly and trees start having beautiful blossoms. Green leaves can be seen everywhere and the weather starts getting warmer. That means spring is coming and for us Iranians, that means Nowruz will be here very soon!
As many of you know, we celebrate the first day of spring as the start of a new year. We are getting ready for the new year by doing the spring cleaning, growing "sabzeh" or sprouts, baking Nowruz cookies and many other interesting things!
What are rosettes?
Rosettes, or as they're called in Farsi, Nan Panjereh are crispy and light cookies that are deep fried in cooking oil and topped with powdered sugar.
What nationality are rosettes? Rosettes are from all over the world. I've had people from Norway, Sweden, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia messaging me and telling me that their grandma used to make these cookies when they were kids! I assume that rosettes are a staple for Christmas and new year in many countries and cultures.
My grandma who passed away long time ago right before Nowruz used to make Nan Panjereh - Persian Rosette Cookies around this time of the year and almost everyday during Nowruz. Since my grandma passed away, my maman has been making these beauties every year.
What does Nan Panjereh mean?
"Nan" means bread or cookie and "Panjereh" means "window" and I think this cookie is named Nan Panjereh because the shape of the cookie looks like old Iranian windows. Since rosettes are made with special rosette iron, you can make these crispy cookies in different shapes.
What are rosette cookies made of?
This rosette recipe calls for four basic ingredients: Wheat starch or corn starch, rose water, eggs and all purpose flour. Traditionally, they're made with wheat starch but I've also tried corn starch and that works as well. If you're not a fan of rosewater, you can use water to make these rosette cookies.
How to make (Nan Panjereh) rosettes at home
Making rosettes at home might seem like an intimidating task but it's actually pretty simple. First of all, you need rosette irons which you can find online (affiliate link). Start by mixing the starch in some rosewater or water to form a paste. Next, add the eggs and flour and mix well until you have a smooth batter. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes and then heat some oil in a sauce pan or a deep frying pan over medium high heat. The oil should be hot enough that bubbles appear around a toothpick touching the bottom of the pan.
Heat the rosette iron in the oil for 15 seconds, lift the iron and shake off the excess oil and immediately dip it into the batter, making sure to only dip it enough so the edge of the iron is even with the surface. Then dip the iron in the hot oil and let the rosette puff and separates from the iron. Fry each side of the rosette for 20-30 seconds until golden. Take the fried rosette out of the oil and place it on a paper towel to absorb extra oil. Once they're cool completely, dust them with powdered sugar.
The most important tip for making Nan Panjereh - Persian Rosettes is to let the rosette iron get hot in oil before dipping it in the batter. When you dip the iron rosette in the batter, the top edge of the iron is even with the surface of the batter (you can see it in the video). The first couple of Persian Rosettes may not turn out well but don't worry, because that's how they are.
Rosettes recipe troubleshooting
- Why do my rosettes get soggy? There could be a couple of reasons for soggy rosettes. The batter could be thick which in that case, you can dilute it with some water (add one teaspoon at a time). If the rosette cookies are soggy, simply place them on a baking sheet and place them in a 350F oven for 5-10 minutes until they're crisp again.
- How long do rosettes keep? Cover rosettes lightly in a container and they'll keep for two days. To serve, you can reheat them in the oven if you like.
- Why are my rosettes sticking to the iron? Make sure the iron is hot enough and that you've shaken off the excess oil before submerging the iron into the batter. Also, pay attention not to have batter on top of the iron.
- Can I freeze rosette cookies? Unfortunately, no. Since these cookies are crisp and deep fried, they're best when served immediately. Freezing them may result in soggy cookies.
Nan Panjereh - Persian Rosettes
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup wheat starch
- 4 tablespoon rose water
- 3 eggs
- ⅓ cup AP flour
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Mix wheat starch and rose water in a bowl until forms a paste.
- Add eggs and beat until fully combined.
- Add flour and mix until smooth.
- Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a sauce pan or a deep pan until bubbles form around a toothpick touching the bottom of the pan.
- Heat rosette iron by letting it stay in hot oil for 10-15 seconds.
- Lift the iron, shake off the excess oil and immediately dip it into batter just that the edge of the iron is even with the surface of the batter. Then dip the iron into hot oil. Let the rosettes puff and then take the iron out of oil.
- Fry each side of cookies for 30 seconds until golden brown. Take the cookie out and place it on a paper towel.
- Repeat steps 6,7 and 8 with the remaining batter.
- Dust some powdered sugar on top of cookies before serving.
Notes
- Check out this video to see how to make Persian rosettes.
- Stir the batter every 5-6 minutes in order to have it even.
Ruth
Can I use corn starch instead of wheat starch? I can’t find wheat starch where I live.
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Hi Ruth! Yes you can 🙂
Rebecca D
Do you think it's possible to make this Gluten free without too much difficulty? I'm thinking GF AP flour and either a corn starch or a potato starch as substitutes. Thanks! Excited to try!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Hi Rebecca, I have not tried these GF myself, so I cannot answer 100% but I think if you use a 1:1 GF flour and corn starch, it would work. Enjoy!
Rebecca D
For anyone who's curious - these came out really well gluten free. I replaced the wheat starch with corn starch and used Bob Red Mill's gluten free all-purpose flour for the AP flour (with about 1/4 tsp of xantham gum). Thank you for a great recipe!
Shadi HasanzadeNemati
Glad you enjoyed it!
Marsha
These are so pretty, and taste absolutely amazing too!