These cookies are inspired by the much-beloved snickerdoodle, but with a South Asian and Persian twist. Cream of tartar still adds the cookies signature tang, but instead of the traditional cinnamon, these baked delights are flavored with rich, aromatic saffron. This prized spice lends a honeyed sweetness to the cookies that is utterly intoxicating and pretty damn swoonworthy.
A little almond extract or rosewater adds extra fragrance, while finely chopped pistachios stand in for the final sugar coating (hello, crunchy texture!). And, while holiday baking is a ways away, it’s never too early to bake up a delicious batch of cookies.
Saffron Doodhles with Pistachios
While I absolutely adore the saffron-pistachio combination, this recipe is a great base to experiment with different snickerdoodle-y iterations. Here are some ideas to get you started:
For chai masala doodles, add 1 tablespoon Diaspora Co. Chai Masala instead of the saffron, nix the almond extract or rosewater and up the vanilla extract to 2 teaspoons, and roll in 1 cup demerara sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon.
For cardamom doodles, swap in ½ teaspoon ground green cardamom and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the saffron, nix the almond extract or rosewater and up the vanilla extract to 2 teaspoons, and roll in a combination of 1 cup demerara sugar, ½ teaspoon ground green cardamom and 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon.
Makes 3 dozen (this recipe can easily be halved, too!)
INGREDIENTS
1 to 2 big pinches saffron (I am a Kashmiri Saffron stan, ofc!)
2½ cups (338g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks (½ pound) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated white sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract or rosewater
1 cup finely chopped pistachios
METHOD
Place 1 to 2 big pinches saffron (the amount depends on how saffron-y you want the cookies, and your budget!) in a mortar, and pound the threads into a fine powder. Add 2 teaspoons cold water, stir, and allow to steep for at least 30 minutes.
Combine 2½ cups (338g) all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar, 1¼ teaspoons Diamond Crystal or ¾ teaspoon Morton’s kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Place 2 sticks softened, unsalted butter, ¾ cup granulated white sugar, and ¾ cup light brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high, scraping down the sides halfway through, until the mixture becomes lighter and fluffy in texture, 2 to 4 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer, though it might take a couple more minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add 2 large eggs and beat on medium-high until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon almond extract or rosewater, and the reserved steeped saffron water and beat briefly to incorporate.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and gently incorporate the dry ingredients with the mixer on low until a homogenous dough forms, 30 seconds to 1 minute. If there are any spots of flour, use a spatula to fold it in. (You want to be careful not to overmix the flour because it will result in tough cookies.) Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to overnight.
When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a couple sheet pans with parchment paper or baking mats and set aside.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Taking a 2 tablespoon-sized piece (25g) of cookie dough at a time, roll the dough between your palms to form a ball. Place 1 cup finely chopped pistachios in a shallow bowl. Then, gently roll the dough ball in the pistachios, pressing it in the mixture so the sugar adheres to the outside. Place the coated dough ball on the parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. Repeat with the dough until both trays are full and then return any leftover dough to the refrigerator.
Bake the cookies for 6 minutes. Then, taking one tray at a time, bang the tray on the counter several times and return them back to the oven, placing the tray that was on the top shelf on the bottom and visa versa. Bake until the edges start to crisp, 5 to 7 minutes more. Remove from the oven, allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire baking rack to cool. Repeat the rolling, coating, and baking process with the remaining dough. When cool, enjoy or store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Make-ahead: You can make the dough up to 2 days in advance. I’ve found the sweet spot of baking off the cookies is after the dough has 12 to 24 hours to rest in the fridge!
Mix up the coating: Chopped or sliced almonds also make a beautiful coating on these cookies, if you are using the latter, you may need up to 2 cups. If you want a nut-free option, you can roll these cookies in granulated sugar or demerara sugar.
I want to make these!! Perfect timing!!