Looking for fairytale love? Tay Tea founder and third-generation tea blender Nini Ordoubadi’s recipe for Love Spell Cookies, made with rosewater and loose lea tea, will have you falling head over heels with each bite. This Persian love cookie recipe is a modern spin on the traditional Persian love cake. Iranian lore tells of a young lovestruck woman who bakes a cake flavored with rosewater, pistachio, and cardamom to make the prince fall in love with her. Depending on the version, the plan does or doesn’t work, but princes aside, the love spell flavor profile captures all the delicious indulgence of Persian desserts.
Persian Love Cookie Recipe
Ingredients for Cookies
- 3 tablespoons Persian Rose loose-leaf tea, finely ground
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1½ sticks (¾ cup) unsalted butter
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups flour
Ingredients For Icing
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons rosewater
- 1 tiny drop organic natural red food coloring
- rose petals, for garnish
Preparation
When grinding the tea, crush the cardamom pods, take out the seeds and discard shells before grinding tea. Beat together ground tea, sugar, and butter in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until fluffy and lighter in color. Mix in vanilla and salt. Fold in the flour gradually and continue to mix until uniform dough is formed. Roll dough into a log 1½ inches in diameter using wax paper or plastic wrap and chill until dough is cold and firm. After chilling, slice into ⅜-inch-thick cookies on baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes in a convection oven or a little longer in a regular oven (until the edges are golden). For the icing, mix all ingredients in a medium size bowl. Ice the cooled cookies with a brush. While the glaze is wet, top with rose petals.
This recipe was originally published in June 2017.
