Iranian rice cookies (Nan-e-berenji) recipe

11 Aug Iranian rice cookies (Nan-e-berenji) recipe

Last Updated on December 10, 2021 by blessmyfoodbypayal

Iranian rice cookies (Nan-e berenji) | shirini berenji recipe | Persian rice flour cookies (eggless) with step wise pictorial and video method.

NAN-E BERENJI

Nan-e berenji is a persian word which literally means “Rice Bread.”

Also known with the name shirini berenji, it is an Iranian rice-flour cookie originating from Kermanshah city of Iran.

Having the favours of cardamom and fragrance of rose (through rose water/essence) these cookies are traditionally made with rice flour, eggs and garnished with poppy seeds, pistachios or barberries.

If they were made in india, their name would have been rice flour naankhatai. Lol.

STAPLE FOOD

Shirini berenji is one of the most traditional cookies in the Persian culture.

Be it Norouz (Iranian new year) party,  wedding and even funeral, these cookies are must everywhere.

ABOUT THE COOKIES

Gluten free, egg free, baking soda and baking powder free, these mildly sweet cookies are almost guilt free.

Addictive, irresistible, light, crunchy and having melt-in-your-mouth texture, these cookies are so easy to make with  simple and regular ingredients.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL

Don’t get perplexed by the stages of recipe making. Though it is made in 3 steps, but making process is very easy.

Step 1 involves sugar syrup making and getting it completely cool.

Step 2 is about making of dough,

And in step 3, need to bake cookies after refrigerating dough for 6 hours.

So you just need to plan accordingly. And the most comfortable part is that you can keep the dough in refrigerator, not freezer, over night.

DO’S & DONT’S

• Lemon is never a part of this recipe but we were forced to add because sugar syrup was crystalizing otherwise. Lemon helps to prevent the syrup from turning into crystals.
• These cookies are generally white looking beauties so only use regular white sugar instead of brown or any other. But if you have no issues, how they appear, then you are set free.
• We have added cardamom in sugar syrup. You can add in flour too, but, in that case, it should be cardamom power only.
• Sugar syrup should remain 3/4 cup after boiling and if your assessment regarding quantity of sugar syrup goes wrong while making dough, don’t worry. Add little milk to adjust and make proper sticky dough.
• Designing cookies is merely a fun to make them look more attracted. Feel free to show your skill.
• As already said, these are white beauties so you need to be extra careful while baking them. Little more extra baking, and they will begin to change their colour.
• Hey, do remember, every oven is different, so as baking time. Don’t stick to given time so enthusiastically and eat under baked cookies. baking time may vary oven to oven.
• Hold on and don’t get upset if they turn brown accidentally. Brown one too are good to eat and rather more crunchy. Yes, you will loose their traditional appearance but taste remains awesome.

HOW TO STORE IRANIAN RICE COOKIES?

These cookies must be stored in airtight container once turn completely cool. They tend to turn soggy more earlier than the other cookies. The shelf life of these cookies is about 5 to 6 days, depending on wheather situations too.

Recipe Adapted from My Cooking Journey

Also see

• Digestive biscuits recipe
• Coconut cookies
• Eggless checkerboard cookies recipe
• stained glass sugar cookies
• custard cookies recipe
• cumin cookies | zeera biscuits

Step wise pictorial recipe of Iranian rice cookies (Nan-e berenji)

MAKING OF SUGAR SYRUP

1. In a pan, add sugar, water and cardamoms.
2. Boil till the syrup remains 3/4th Cup.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Add rose water and lemon juice. Mix.
5. Keep aside to cool it completely.

MAKING OF DOUGH

1. Add butter and oil in a bowl.
2. Whisk till the mixture turns light and creamy.
3. Add milk and whisk one more time to make entire mixture becomes uniform.
4. Sieve rice flour and mix everything.
5. Now start adding sugar syrup slowly and simentaneouly keep mixing.
6. Bring everything together into a dough. Note this dough will be very soft and sticky.
7. Wrap the bowl with clink film. Alternatively, you can wrap the dough only in clink film. Keep the bowl/dough in refrigerator for 6 hours. Can be kept overnight too.

MAKING OF COOKIES

1. After the said time is over, bring the dough out and unwrap.
2. Scoop out about a tablespoon of dough and roll between your palms into a ball.
3. Slightly press from top to create a dent.
4. Also cut straight marks downwards using spoon. However you are free to create any design you like.
5. Place a pinch of crushed pistachios in the top dent.
6. Likewise prepare all balls with the entire dough and mark cuts and garnish them likewise.
7. Arrange them on a baking tray lined with greased butter paper.
8. Place the tray in the middle rack of preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes @180℃.
9. Do note, keep eyes on cookies and don’t let them turn brown. You need to be extra cautious especially after 12 minutes are over.
10. Once done, take the tray out and let cookies cool on cooling rack.
11. Nan-e berenji is ready.

Enjoy

Iranian rice cookies (Nan-e berenji) – Recipe Card

Persian rice cookies (Nan-e berenji)

blessmyfoodbypayal

Gluten free, egg free, baking soda and baking powder free, these mildly sweet Iranian rice cookies (Nan-e berenji) are almost guilt free.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Resting time 7 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine Irani, persian

Servings 36 Cookies

Ingredients

  

FOR SUGAR SYRUP

• 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Water
• Seeds of 3-4 green cardamoms or 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tsp Rose water or essence
• Juice of half lemon

FOR DOUGH

• 2 Cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup butter unsalted
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup milk chilled
• Sugar syrup already prepared
• 12-15 pistachios finally crushed

Instructions

 

MAKING OF SUGAR SYRUP

• In a pan, add sugar, water and cardamoms.
• Boil till the syrup remains 3/4th Cup.
• Remove from heat.
• Add rose water and lemon juice. Mix.
• Keep aside to cool it completely.

MAKING OF DOUGH.

• Add butter and oil in a bowl.
• Whisk till the mixture turns light and creamy.
• Add milk and whisk one more time to make entire mixture becomes uniform.
• Sieve rice flour and mix everything.
• Now start adding sugar syrup slowly and simentaneouly keep mixing.
• Bring everything together into a dough. Note this dough will be very soft and sticky.
• Wrap the bowl with clink film. Alternatively, you can wrap the dough only in clink film. Keep the bowl/dough in refrigerator for 6 hours. Can be kept overnight too.

MAKING OF COOKIES

• After the said time is over, bring the dough out and unwrap.
• Scoop out about a tablespoon of dough and roll between your palms into a ball.
• Slightly press from top to create a dent.
• Also cut straight marks downwards using spoon. However you are free to create any design you like.
• Place a pinch of crushed pistachios in the top dent.
• Likewise prepare all balls with the entire dough and mark cuts and garnish them likewise.
• Arrange them on a baking tray lined with greased butter paper.
• Place the tray in the middle rack of preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes @180℃.
• Do note, keep eyes on cookies and don't let them turn brown. You need to be extra cautious especially after 12 minutes are over.
• Once done, take the tray out and let cookies cool on cooling rack.
• Nan-e berenji is ready.

Keyword eggless rice flour cookies, gluten free cookies, iranian rice cookies, non-e berenji, persian rice flour cookies, rice flour cookies, shirini berenji

YOUTUBE

For more easy and interesting recipes, please do visit our YouTube Channel and do subscribe it and also hit the bell icon. It’s free. Gratitude for subscribing.