There’s something almost unexpected about the first bite of Nan-e Berenji. The crumb doesn’t hit you with sweetness the way most western cookies do. No 1000 calorie Crumbl cookie here! Instead, the cookie is delicate, fragrant, and soft in a way that feels almost ethereal. Made with rice flour instead of wheat, these traditional Persian cookies have a texture that quite literally melts in your mouth. But what makes them unforgettable isn’t just how they taste—it’s the history they carry with them.
Nan-e Berenji is more than a cookie. It’s a memory, a quiet thread connecting generations of Persian families, especially during Nowruz, or the Persian New Year. This year the holiday falls on March 20, (as I write this) when kitchens are filled with the scent of rosewater and cardamom and something deeper: a sense of renewal.
Right now, this connection to culture matters more than ever. As a horrific war continues to unfold across Iran and the region at large, disrupting lives, economies, global food systems, and the environment, it can feel overwhelming to watch from afar. The scale of it all is hard to process. Headlines speak in a dehumanizing way about a people most westerners know very little about. But these people are not mere numbers, they all have a story, a 3000 year old culture, and a love of beauty in all its forms, whether through architecture, poetry, (look up the writings of Rumi) or through their cuisine. Baking something like Nan-e Berenji for me becomes in its own small way, an act of connection to this ancient civilization of people.
The Shah Mosque of Esfahan, Iran
When you measure out rice flour, you’re engaging with an ingredient that has been used in Persian baking for centuries—not out of trend, but out of tradition. When you add rosewater, you’re stepping into a flavor profile that defines so much of Persian cuisine: floral, subtle, almost poetic. Cardamom adds warmth, pistachios bring texture, and together they create a cookie that’s even mystical with its otherwordly fragrance and spice.
Baking forces you to slow down–you have to forget everything around you and pay attention to the measuring, mixing, shaping, and waiting. In a world that feels insanely fast and uncertain, that kind of focus becomes grounding. The repetition of shaping each cookie, pressing the tops, arranging them on a tray—it’s meditative in a way that doesn’t ask anything of you except your presence. That’s why making these cookies was literally a therapy session for me.
Conflict will always dominate the news cycle, but holding on to culture is a sort of quiet resistance. Just the act of cooking and baking preserves an important identity even through even the most difficult times. When you bake Nan-e Berenji, you’re not just making a gluten-free cookie. You’re engaging with a piece of Persian heritage that has outlasted generations of change. You’re experiencing a flavor that tells a story without needing translation. And maybe most importantly, you’re reminded that behind every country, every headline, every conflict—there are people. People who celebrate the new year, gather around food, and find comfort in the same things we all do: a warm kitchen. A simple recipe. A moment of calm.
To see the technique for these delightful cookies, click on my new video below:
NAN E BERENJI COOKIES: Persian Rice Flour Cookies
- 1 1/4 cup rice flour
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 stick unsalted at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 Tbsp rose water
- Topping: ground pistachios, poppy seeds, or ground edible rose petals
- Instructions
- Mix the rice flour, cornstarch, and cardamom and set aside. Cream the butter and powdered sugar with a hand mixer. Blend in the rose water and egg yolk. Slowly blend the flour mixture into the egg and butter mixture.. Fold in the flour, cornstarch, and cardamom, mixing well. Roll into 2 logs about 1 inch thick, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 2 hours or more. Oil your hands to prevent the oil from sticking. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F and grease 2 baking sheets or trays. Unwrap 1 log and using a sharp knife, quickly slice your log into little discs, measuring about 1 inch thick. Using your hands, form little flat disks with the dough, and place on the baking sheet, giving an inch between each cookie. To create a pretty pattern, use the side of a fork, or a cookie mould to form grooves or any pattern on your cookies. Sprinkle some pistachios, poppy seeds or ground rose petals in the middle of each cookie. [Press the toppings into the cookie before baking. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes until your cookies are a pale, beige color.
