Persian Rice Cookies (Naan Berenji). Baking cookies is a big part of the days leading up to the Persian New Year. I am really excited to share this recipe with you for a couple of reasons. One because Naan Berenji is one of my favorite Norouz cookies, but also because of the person who gave me this recipe.

Traditionally served around the Persian New Year and welcome any time of year! Our recipe is low in sugar and naturally gluten-free. I made these cookies at least a half a dozen times last spring in anticipation of the Persian New Year. You can cook Persian Rice Cookies (Naan Berenji) using 7 ingredients and 8 steps. Here is how you cook it.

Ingredients of Persian Rice Cookies (Naan Berenji)

Prepare 1.5 Cups of Rice Flour.
Prepare 1 Cup of Sugar (powdered).
It's 150 ml of Vegetable oil.
You need 1 of Egg (yolk).
Prepare 1/4 tsp of Rose Essence.
It's a pinch of Salt.
You need as required of Poppy Seeds.

Nice light flavoured naturally-wheat free cookies from Iran. They are similar to ghorabeyeh, an Arabian Gulf shortbread cookie. The addition of eggs in this results in a fluffy, delicate texture. If rice flour is unavailable, grind raw rice or cream of rice to a fine powder in a coffee or spice grinder.

Persian Rice Cookies (Naan Berenji) step by step

Combine rice flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl..
Add rose essence and oil and stir until well mixed. (Knead with your hands)..
Beat the egg yolk in a separate bowl..
Stir in egg yolk to the mixture..
Keep the batter in a refrigerator for 30 minutes..
Take a spoon of the batter, make a 2 inch ball and place on a cookie pan covered with parchment paper. (The dough would be very crumbly and would not come together easily. Try applying enough oil on your palms and press to firm it. The dough cannot be rolled using a rolling pin and cut using cookie cutters like other cookies. The original recipe uses a wooden press mould. However, I have shaped it using my palms)..
Garnish with poppy seeds..
Preheat oven to 300º F (149º C), bake the cookies for 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely..

This is a really light, fragrant cookie and is especially good with tea or (rice/moo) milk. Persian Rice Cookies (Nan-e Berenji) While not traditional, vanilla is a perfect foil for the lemony sharpness of cardamom. Rice flour can be found at Indian, Middle Eastern or Asian grocery stores, in addition to Whole Foods and other organic food stores. Make sure it's regular rice flour and not the glutinous. Nan-e Berenji, or Persian rice cookies with poppy seeds, are one of the most traditional cookies in the Persian culture.