Homemade Chickpea Cookie Recipe with Essential Tips for Perfect Flavor

According to Saednews, Chickpea flour cookies (Noon-e Nokhodchi) are one of the simplest and most traditional Iranian sweets. They are commonly prepared for Nowruz (Persian New Year) and served alongside other pastries such as Danish cookies, Yazdi cake, and cream puffs. These cookies are light, crumbly, and melt in your mouth, and they are very easy to prepare at home.

Ingredients for Chickpea Flour Cookies

• Chickpea flour: 500 g

• Powdered sugar: 250 g

• Solid vegetable oil (or shortening): 250 g

• Ground green cardamom: 1 teaspoon

Simple Method for Making Chickpea Flour Cookies

Step 1: Sifting Ingredients

Sift the chickpea flour and powdered sugar separately to ensure a smooth texture.

Step 2: Mixing Oil and Sugar

In a bowl, combine powdered sugar and solid oil. Mix using a hand whisk or electric mixer until fully blended.

Step 3: Kneading the Base

Wear a plastic glove and knead the sugar and oil mixture by hand until it becomes creamy and smooth.

Step 4: Adding Chickpea Flour

Add half of the sifted chickpea flour to the mixture and knead again.

Step 5: Completing the Dough

Add the remaining chickpea flour and continue kneading until the dough comes together. The dough will be soft and slightly fragile.

Step 6: Adding Cardamom

Mix ground cardamom into the dough while kneading.

Step 7: Resting the Dough

Place the dough in a plastic bag and let it rest for 6 to 24 hours at room temperature.

Step 8: Rolling the Dough

Roll out the rested dough on a flat surface using a rolling pin until smooth and even.

Step 9: Shaping the Cookies

Use cookie molds to cut the dough into traditional shapes.

Step 10: Adjusting Thickness

The dough thickness should match your molds. If you don’t have molds, roll the dough to about 2 cm thickness.

Step 11: Preparing for Baking

Place parchment paper on a baking tray and arrange the cookies on it. Decorate if desired.

Step 12: Baking

Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) for 15–20 minutes. Watch carefully to prevent burning.

Step 13: Cooling

Let the cookies cool completely before removing them from the tray, as they are very fragile when warm.

Tips for Better Chickpea Flour Cookies

• You may add 30–40 g extra oil if the dough feels too dry, although less oil often improves flavor and texture.

• Cardamom can be increased slightly for a stronger aroma.

• Replacing part of chickpea flour with rice flour makes the cookies more tender.

• You can decorate with pistachio powder, sesame seeds, black seeds, or saffron.

• Butter can be used instead of solid oil.

• Handle the dough gently to prevent crumbling.

• Longer resting time improves texture and flavor.

Quick Version (No Resting Required)

Ingredients:

• Chickpea flour: 250 g

• Solid oil: 100 g

• Powdered sugar: 1 cup

• All-purpose flour: 1 tablespoon

• Cardamom powder: 1/2 tablespoon

Method:

1. Sift chickpea flour, all-purpose flour, and powdered sugar.

2. Mix oil, powdered sugar, and cardamom until smooth.

3. Gradually add flour and mix gently until a soft dough forms.

4. Shape immediately and cut using molds.

5. Place on a tray and bake.

Baking Instructions (No-Rest Version)

• Oven temperature: 170°C (340°F)

• Baking time: about 20 minutes

• Place tray in the middle rack

• Do not overbake to avoid burning the bottom

Key Tips for No-Rest Version

• Do not over-knead, or the dough will become oily.

• If dough is too dry, lightly grease your hands instead of adding flour.

• If dough is too soft, add a small amount of rice flour.

• Let cookies cool fully before handling to prevent breaking.