Sometimes spelled ghotab, these Persian cookie-like pastries are filled with walnuts and delightfully scented with rosewater and cardamom. They’re a beloved treat originally from Yazd, an Iranian city famous for its sweets. Qottab are popular year-round but considered a must for Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. You’ll see many variation of these delicious pastries: Some use almonds or a combination of almonds and walnuts, and some include cinnamon or omit rosewater. Although they’re typically deep-fried you can also bake them; both methods are included in this recipe so you can take your pick. Either way, since the dough is unsweetened and the filling is only lightly sweetened it’s best not to skip the final step while the cookies are still warm: coating them in confectioners’ sugar.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 2 hr |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 24 cookies |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 heaping cup walnuts
- 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons rosewater
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons powdered pistachios
Instructions
- For the dough: Whisk the yogurt and baking powder together in a small bowl. Whisk the melted butter and egg yolk together in a large bowl. Add the yogurt mixture and stir to combine. Add half of the flour and mix with a rubber spatula. Add the remaining flour and mix again using the spatula. Use your hands to bring the dough together (there is no need to knead it). Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- For the filling: Pulse the walnuts, confectioners’ sugar, rosewater and cardamom together in a food processor until the walnuts are ground.
- When ready to prepare the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F if you want to bake them (instructions for frying them follow).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle flour on a clean surface and roll out the dough so it’s about 1/8-inch thick. Cut out circles using a 2-inch cookie cutter.
- To fill a cookie, press a dough circle between your fingers, mostly at the edges, to make it thinner and a little larger. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the filling onto it and fold it into a half moon. Do pleats if desired, otherwise leave as is and pinch to seal, making sure it’s fully sealed. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. If the dough gets too soft at any point, refrigerate it until it firms up again.
- Bake the cookies until golden brown, about 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through with a spatula. Once baked, take the cookies out of the oven and let them sit for 3 minutes, then toss them in confectioners’ sugar. Serve sprinkled with ground pistachios.
- Alternatively, to fry the qottab, fill a large saucepan with enough vegetable or canola oil to measure about 2 1/2 inches deep. Place over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Slip 2 to 3 cookies at a time into the oil and fry until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Lift the cookies out with a slotted spoon and place on a rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining cookies, adjusting the flame as necessary to keep the oil at 350 degrees F. Toss them in confectioners’ sugar while hot and serve sprinkled with ground pistachios.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 24 servings |
| Calories | 117 |
| Total Fat | 8 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 10 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Cholesterol | 18 mg |
| Sodium | 11 mg |