Nan-e Nokhodchi (Persian Chickpea Flour Cookies)

About This Recipe

Nan-e nokhodchi are small clover-shaped cookies made almost entirely from roasted chickpea flour, a naturally gluten-free base that gives them their distinctive delicate, crumbly texture that dissolves almost instantly on the tongue. Ground cardamom and rosewater are the defining aromatics, mixed into the dough along with just enough oil and sugar to bind everything into a workable paste that's pressed into small decorative shapes rather than rolled and cut. Baked very briefly at a low temperature, these cookies should never brown — they're meant to stay pale and remain almost powdery in texture, traditionally made in large batches for Nowruz, the Persian New Year celebration.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 3 cupschickpea flour (besan)
• 1 cuppowdered sugar
• 3/4 cupvegetable oil
• 1 tspground cardamom
• 1 tbsprosewater
• 2 tbspcrushed pistachios(for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the flour

   Toast the chickpea flour in a dry skillet over low heat, stirring constantly, for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and lightly darkened.

   Toast the flour low and slow, stirring constantly — it can scorch quickly and any burnt flour will taste bitter in the finished cookies.

2. 2

   Cool

   Let the toasted flour cool completely to room temperature.

3. 3

   Make the dough

   Mix the cooled flour with powdered sugar, oil, cardamom and rosewater into a soft, slightly crumbly dough.

4. 4

   Rest

   Let the dough rest 15 minutes to firm up slightly.

5. 5

   Shape

   Press small portions of dough into a clover-shaped mold, or simply shape by hand into small rounds, pressing a bit of crushed pistachio into the top of each.

6. 6

   Bake

   Bake at 150C/300F for 12-15 minutes — the cookies should remain pale, not browned.

7. 7

   Cool completely

   Let cool completely on the tray before handling, since the cookies are very fragile while warm.

Variations

• •

  Some versions use almond flour blended with chickpea flour for a slightly different texture.

• •

  A saffron version adds bloomed saffron to the dough for a golden hue and floral note.

• •

  These cookies are traditionally shaped with a special clover-pattern mold, though hand-shaping into simple rounds works fine too.

Storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks; handle gently since the cookies remain quite delicate even once fully cooled.

Frequently Asked Questions