Nowruz, or Iranian New Year, is just around the corner. It is always a happy time and brings back a lot of childhood memories. I remember my Maman preparing for Nowruz weeks in advance and baking lots of different colourful baked treats, one of the family’s favourites being the Ahwazi cookie. Ahwaz is the name of the town I grew up in and this recipe was given to us by our neighbour, Mrs Naghdi.
Ingredients:
Dough
100g Unsalted Butter (Melted)
120g Sugar
130g Yoghurt
1 Egg
Self Raising Flour (Enough to make a soft dough)
Filling
400g Pitted Dates
100g Chopped Walnuts
2 Tbsp Tahini
2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Apple (Peeled and Grated)
Method:
1. Whisk Melted Butter, Sugar, Yoghurt and Egg for 2 minutes, until it gets to the ribbon stage
2. Add enough Self Raising Flour to make into a soft dough and leave to one side
3. Mix Pitted Dates, Chopped Walnuts, Grated Apple, Tahini and Cinnamon together
4. Roll out the dough to 1/2cm thickness and cut into circles
5. Top half the dough circles with a teaspoon of the filling mixture and cover with the rest of the dough circles. Seal the edges
6. Place the cookies on grease proof paper on a baking tray and top with Pistachio, Sesame Seeds or any topping you like
7. Bake in the oven 170C or 150C fan for 25-30 minutes
8. Remove from the oven, allow the cookies to cool, then dust with icing sugar
Noosheh Jaan! Happy Nowruz to you all! Below is a list of participants in the 2014 Nowruz Recipe Round-Up. Check out these pages to find more delicious Nowruz recipes.
Café Leilee: Northern-Iranian Style Herb Stuffed Fish
Fig & Quince: A Norooz ‘a Palooza
Lucid Food: Persian Raisin and Saffron Cookies for Norooz
Simi’s Kitchen: New Blog for Nowruz
Spice Spoon: Noon Berenj – Thumbprint Rice Flour Cookies with Saffron & Rosewater for Persian Nowruz
West of Persia: Happy Nowruz, Recipe Roundup, and a Classic: Kuku Sabzi on TV
Zozo Baking: Nane Nokhodchi Nowruz Iran
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What a valuable recipe for fabulous cookies these Koloucheh Ahwazis are! Not only is the cookie crust significant, the filling is a dream.As I am making my rounds of Nowrouz recipe round-up, i am enthralled. Thank you for sharing! ~ Fae.
Merci for your great comment. Love the individuality and the different approaches towards the dishes that we are all familiar with. Enjoyed reading your blog and the recipes.
Ba behtarin arezooha for Norooz
Happy cooking
Afsaneh
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Wow – I just love koloocheh! Thank you for sharing… this was my go-to on the plane snack for years. Bookmarking this recipe!
Glad you liked the recipe. So simple! Loved all of the other recipes can’t wait until I’ve tried them all.
Ba behtarin arezooha for Norooz!
Happy cooking
Afsaneh
I’ve never heard of using tahini and apples in the filling, sounds so delicious! Nice method of filling, too, I’m going to try your approach. Thanks for the clear instructions. These look so good! -Louisa
Merci for your comment. Always good to share, I’m going to try all the recipes for Norooz.
Ba behtarin arezooha
Afsaneh x
Oh wow! This sounds amazing! I’ve heard about these cookies but never had any myself. Can’t wait to try them. Happy Norouz!
Thanks! So simple and they keep so well for days. I have to say I think they even taste better the day after. Happy Norooz and all the best.
Happy cooking
Afsaneh
Looks delicious!! Never had these types of cookie before, I will definitely make them!!! xoox
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It is a beautiful recipe because it comes with a history. x Shayma
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Afsaneh jan, this is such a lovely recipe. Thank you and sal-e no mobarak!x
These look delicious!!! I love anything with dates!
Thank you! They are so easy to make and they keep well for days in an airtight container.
Best wishes for Norooz
Happy cooking
Afsaneh x
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Salom Afsaneh Jan,
Thank you for this lovely family recipe. I love filled biscuits especially with khorma.
Hello Afsaneh jan,
Would you (or anyone else who tried this recipe) please tell me the approximate amount of self raising flour that you used? I ran out of it, even though at the beginning I thought I had enough of it left to make a soft dough, so I failed. I know the amount is approximative, but I just want to have an idea. I will do better next time anyway, I will plan better (and won’t make the filling before the dough!). Best wishes.
Hi Sara! No you haven’t failed, You can add some plain flour to your dough, should be soft but not sticky, easier to roll out on a floured surface. I have never measured the amount of SR flour before so I can’t give you the exact weight sorry! ( I will next time I make it) You can keep your filling in the fridge just add couple of tbls apple or orange juice to stop grated apples from discolouration. I always make the dough and let it rest while I make the filling and wait for the oven to preheat. Thank you so much for trying my recipe. I’m sure your cookies are gonna be wonderful. Happy cooking! A
Thank you very much for the information dear Afsaneh!
I actually baked it without rolling out the dough, more like a cake (put a layer of dough, then the filling, then another layer of dough in a mold). Strange twist to the recipe, but it was delicious!! Happy new year and thanks for sharing this dlight.
How wonderful! Glad you enjoyed it! Clever twist well done.
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Afsaneh joon! With much delay I was able to log in to wordpress. Thank you for this delicious recipe, I’ve always loved Koloucheh, but never had a good recipe to try. I’ve shared this with my mom and we have put your recipe on our “Must Bake” list…thanks again and sorry for delay!
Fariba jaan salaam. Merci for your message. I’m glad that you and your mum liked my recipe and thank you so much for adding it to your “MUST BAKE” list. Happy baking!
I am from Poland and my husband is from Iran. Unfortunately since 1 month I am in my country and he is in Iran and I miss him badly (I am gonna fly there after one week !:)) so I made these cookies today ! Just perfect ! thank you for the recipe. Greetings, Karo
Hi Karo, thank you for your message. I love that recipe and glad that you made it and liked it too.
I am going to organise some cookery lessons in Iran (Isfahan) from April?
I wish you well and hope you have a wonderful time in Iran.
Afsaneh
Hello Afsaneh,
Thank you for your kind reply. My grandmother visited me today and she loved the cookies. I even had to make the small package for her so she can eat them at her home🙂
I would love to join the cookery lessons but not sure how long we would stay in Iran.
Ps. After ten minutes my potatoe tahdik is gonna be ready😉 All the best, Karo