Top

Pistachio-Rosewater Cookies

(recipe, Terry Hope Romero & Isa Chandra Moskowitz)

Introduction

Pretty as a picture, these delectable disks are studded with jadelike pistachio nuts and are delicately scented with rosewater. Lime juice and zest add a little citrus kick. A perfect end to your Persian feast, or even just some Middle Eastern takeout.

Ingredients

  1. 1¼ cups sugar
  2. ½ cup canola oil
  3. 3 Tbsp. rice or soy milk
  4. 1 Tbsp. rosewater
  5. 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  6. 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  7. 1 tsp. finely grated lime zest
  8. ¼ cup cornstarch
  9. 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  10. 1 tsp. baking powder
  11. ½ tsp. salt
  12. ¼ tsp. ground cardamom
  13. ½ cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two cookie sheets with vegan shortening or margarine.
  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, rice or soy milk, rosewater, vanilla, lime juice, and zest. Add the cornstarch and whisk until dissolved. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. Mix well.
  3. Roll the dough into balls about 2 teaspoons in size (a bit smaller than a walnut) and dip the tops into the chopped pistachios. Press down with two fingers; the dough will flatten a bit and the pistachios will collect on the bottom.
  4. Place the cookies, nut side up, about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. You should be able to fit 16 on a standard baking sheet. Bake for 13 minutes; they will be soft but will firm up as they cool.
  5. Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheets for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before serving.

Note

You can replace the pistachios with almonds. The easiest way to chop them is by pulsing them in a food processor several times.