Nan Panjereh - Persian Rosettes • Unicorns in the Kitchen

Name: Nan Panjereh - Persian Rosettes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup wheat starch; 4 tbsp rose water; 3 eggs; 1/3 cup AP flour; Oil for frying

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Nan Panjereh, also known as Persian rosettes is a traditional Persian cookie that is crisp and light. Once you learn the technique, it is easy and fun to make!

powdered sugar being dusted on Persian rosettes.

Persian desserts and sweets are lightly aromatic and just sweet enough to make you happy. Some popular Persian sweets are Persian love cake, raisin cookies and cardamom cookies. Today I'm going to introduce another delicious Persian delicacy called Persian rosettes .

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 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.

Ingredients and substitutions

This rosette recipe calls for four basic ingredients:

Wheat starch: Traditionally, these cookies are made with wheat starch, however, cornstarch would work as well.

Rose water: Just a little bit of rosewater adds a nice aroma to the cookies. If you're not a fan of rosewater, use regular water instead.

Eggs: It's best to use eggs that are at room temperature.

All purpose flour: You need about ⅓ cup all purpose flour to bring the batter together.

Instructions

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 secret to the perfect rosette

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 perfect but don't worry, because they'll keep getting better.

Persian rosettes topped with powdered sugar.

Frequently asked questions

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?

Since these cookies are crisp and deep fried, they're best when served immediately. Freezing them may result in soggy cookies.

an panjereh - Persian rosettes is a traditional Persian cookie that is crisp and light. It's made of basic ingredients and once you find the technique, it is easy and fun to make!

Rosettes for Nowruz

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!

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