Iranian dry pastries are an essential part of traditional Persian confectionery — known for their variety, long shelf life, and constant presence at gatherings, ceremonies, and festive occasions. Despite their relatively simple appearance, preparing these pastries requires precision and a deep understanding of ingredients and techniques.
In this article, we present recipes and instructions for 15 popular types of Persian dry pastries.

Comprehensive reference article: “Dry Pastries in Iranian Culinary Culture: From Traditional Rituals to Modern Techniques”

Recipe Guide for 15 Popular Iranian Dry Pastries

1. Chickpea Cookies (Shirini Nokhodchi)

Ingredients:

• Chickpea flour (sifted): 250 g
• Powdered sugar: 125 g
• Solid white shortening: 125 g
• Ground cardamom: ½ tsp
• Pistachio powder for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Beat the shortening and powdered sugar for 7–10 minutes until light and fluffy.
2. Add cardamom and chickpea flour gradually and mix by hand or with a spatula.
3. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.
4. Roll out the dough (1 cm thickness), cut shapes, and place on a baking tray.
5. Sprinkle pistachio powder on top.
6. Bake at 170°C for about 15 minutes.
7. Let the cookies cool completely before moving them.

2. Rice Flour Cookies (Kermanshahi Nan-e Berenji)

Ingredients:

• Rice flour (fine, sifted): 250 g
• Powdered sugar: 125 g
• Solid shortening: 125 g
• Egg: 1 (yolk & white separated)
• Rosewater: 3 tbsp
• Cardamom: ½ tsp
• Brewed saffron (optional)
• Nigella seeds or pistachio for garnish

Instructions:

1. Beat the shortening and powdered sugar until creamy.
2. Add egg yolk, rosewater, cardamom, and saffron.
3. Add rice flour little by little until a smooth dough forms.
4. Rest the dough for 12 hours.
5. Shape into small balls, slightly flatten, brush with egg white, and garnish.
6. Bake at 150–160°C for 15–20 minutes.

3. Puff Pastry Tongue Cookies (Shirini Zaban)

Ingredients:

• Ready-made puff pastry: 1 pack
• Powdered sugar
• Egg (for brushing)
• Vanilla or cardamom (optional)
• Honey or syrup for glazing

Instructions:

1. Let puff pastry thaw for 30 minutes.
2. Dust the work surface with flour, roll out, and cut oval shapes.
3. Brush with beaten egg.
4. Sift powdered sugar generously on top.
5. Bake at 200°C for 15–20 minutes.
6. Brush with warm honey or syrup after baking.

4. Padrazi Cookies

Ingredients:

• Flour: 250 g
• Powdered sugar: 100 g
• Shortening: 120 g
• Egg: 1
• Cardamom: ½ tsp
• Rosewater: 2 tbsp
• Brewed saffron: 1 tsp
• Pistachio or nigella seeds for topping

Instructions:

1. Beat shortening and powdered sugar until fluffy.
2. Add egg, rosewater, saffron, and cardamom.
3. Add flour gradually to form a firm dough.
4. Rest dough at least 6 hours.
5. Roll to 8 mm thickness and cut into elongated shapes.
6. Score the top and garnish.
7. Bake at 160°C for 15–20 minutes.

5. Kolompeh (Kerman Date-Filled Cookies)

Ingredients for dough:

• Flour: 3 cups
• Shortening/shortening+butter: 1 cup
• Yogurt: ½ cup
• Egg yolks: 2
• Cardamom: ½ tsp
• Baking powder: 1 tsp
• Brewed saffron: 1 tbsp

Ingredients for filling:

• Mashed seedless dates: 1 cup
• Cinnamon: 1 tsp
• Chopped walnuts: ½ cup
• Cardamom: ½ tsp
• Oil or butter for softening dates

Instructions:

1. Heat date paste with oil to soften; add cinnamon, cardamom, and walnuts.
2. Mix yolks, yogurt, oil, saffron, and cardamom; then add flour and baking powder.
3. Let dough rest; then roll, fill with date mixture, and shape.
4. Bake at 170°C for 20–25 minutes.

6. Almond Cookies (Shirini Badami)

Ingredients:

• Almond powder: 150 g
• Powdered sugar: 75 g
• Egg whites: 2
• Vanilla or cardamom
• Almond or pistachio slivers

Instructions:

1. Mix almond powder and powdered sugar.
2. Beat egg whites lightly (soft, not stiff).
3. Fold into dry ingredients.
4. Shape with spoon or piping bag.
5. Garnish and bake at 150°C for 15 minutes.

7. Persian Danish Cookies (Dry Style)

Ingredients:

• Flour: 300 g
• Butter/margarine: 150 g
• Eggs: 2
• Sugar: 80 g
• Milk: 80 ml
• Yeast: 1 tsp
• Vanilla: ½ tsp
• Cardamom (optional)
• Egg yolk for brushing + sesame

Filling:

• Powdered sugar: 2 tbsp
• Chopped walnuts or cinnamon-sugar mixture

Instructions:

1. Activate yeast with warm milk and sugar.
2. Mix eggs, sugar, vanilla, cardamom, and softened butter.
3. Add flour and yeast mixture; knead until smooth.
4. Rest 1 hour.
5. Roll, fill, roll up, slice, brush with egg yolk, sprinkle sesame.
6. Bake at 180°C for 15–20 minutes.

8. Homemade Mikado Wafer Sweets

Ingredients:

• Wafer sheets: 1 pack
• Chickpea flour or toasted flour: 1 cup
• Powdered sugar: 1 cup
• Cocoa powder: 2 tbsp
• Shortening or butter: 150 g
• Cardamom or vanilla

Instructions:

1. Toast flour until aroma rises.
2. Mix with powdered sugar, cocoa, and cardamom.
3. Add soft butter and knead.
4. Spread between wafer layers.
5. Press with weight for 2 hours.
6. Slice neatly.

(No baking required.)

9. Persian Sesame Cookies

Ingredients:

• Flour: 200 g
• Sugar or powdered sugar: 80 g
• Egg: 1
• Oil or butter: 100 g
• Baking powder: 1 tsp
• Vanilla or cardamom
• Roasted sesame seeds (plenty)

Instructions:

1. Beat oil and sugar until creamy.
2. Add egg, baking powder, and flavorings.
3. Add flour gradually.
4. Shape small discs and coat in sesame.
5. Bake at 170°C for 15 minutes.

10. Persian Rosette Cookies (Shirini Panjereh’i)

Ingredients:

• Eggs: 2
• Cornstarch: 2 tbsp
• Flour: ~½ cup
• Milk or rosewater: ½ cup
• Powdered sugar
• Oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Lightly beat eggs.
2. Add cornstarch, milk/rosewater, then flour gradually for a thin batter.
3. Heat the iron mold in hot oil, dip in batter, then fry.
4. Dust with powdered sugar.

11. Butter Cookies (Shirini Karei)

Ingredients:

• Soft butter: 200 g
• Powdered sugar: ¾ cup
• Egg yolks: 2
• Vanilla: ½ tsp
• Flour: 2–2.5 cups
• Almond/pistachio powder (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add yolks and vanilla.
3. Add flour gradually to form a soft dough.
4. Shape and bake at 170°C for 15 minutes.

12. Gosh-e Fil (Crispy Elephant Ear Pastry)

Ingredients:

• Flour: 2 cups
• Yogurt: ½ cup
• Egg: 1
• Butter/shortening: 2 tbsp
• Baking powder: 1 tsp
• Saffron & rosewater: 1 tbsp each
• Oil for frying
• Syrup for dipping

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients into a soft dough; rest 30 minutes.
2. Roll thin, cut into diamond or oval shapes, and twist.
3. Fry until golden, dip immediately in cold syrup.

13. Persian Raisin Cookies (Shirini Keshmeshi)

Ingredients:

• Flour: 250 g
• Powdered sugar: 150 g
• Eggs: 2
• Butter/shortening: 150 g
• Vanilla: ¼ tsp
• Raisins: 1 cup
• Baking powder: 1 tsp

Instructions:

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs one at a time.
3. Mix dry ingredients and add.
4. Stir in raisins.
5. Spoon onto tray and bake at 180°C for 10–12 minutes.

14. Walnut Cookies (Shirini Gerdoo’i)

Ingredients:

• Powdered sugar: ¾ cup
• Egg yolks: 2
• Vanilla: ¼ tsp
• Ground walnuts: 1 cup
• Flour (optional): 1 tbsp

Instructions:

1. Beat yolks, vanilla, and sugar until pale.
2. Add walnuts.
3. Shape balls, garnish with walnut halves.
4. Bake at 160°C for 15–20 minutes.

15. Dry Coconut Macaroons (Shirini Nargili)

Ingredients:

• Desiccated coconut: 1 cup
• Sugar: ¾ cup
• Egg whites: 2
• Vanilla
• Flour: 1 tbsp (optional)
• Butter: 1 tbsp (for softness)

Instructions:

1. Whisk egg whites until foamy.
2. Add sugar gradually.
3. Fold in coconut, vanilla, flour.
4. Pipe onto tray.
5. Bake at 160°C for 10–12 minutes.

Mastering Dry Pastries: A Combination of Skill, Precision & Proper Training

Perfecting these pastries — whether at home or professionally — requires knowledge, accuracy, and hands-on guidance.

For those seeking structured learning, Arsa Academy offers a specialized course on Iranian Dry Pastry Training, taught by expert instructors.