BROWN BUTTER ROSE BAKLAVA COOKIES.

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Brown Butter Rose Baklava Cookies

Baklava is one of those desserts that are super addictive, once you have one, you want to keep going! This rolled phyllo pastry desserts are a Middle Eastern specialty that are typically filled with pistachios, assorted nuts, drenched in butter and are glazed in a honey or rose simple syrup. I thought to myself wouldn’t it be interesting to add this delicious crunchy, nutty, honey dessert into a cookie? The brown butter in the sugar cookie dough complements the nuttiness of the baklava and a touch of rose water adds a floral dimension. Chopped pistachio, chopped walnut, rose petals and a heaping scoop of chopped baklava get mixed in to create a sweet, fudgy studded sugar cookie.

You can find baklava at your local Middle Eastern/Greek grocery store or online!

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Serving:

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (170 grams)

  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar (150 grams)

  • 1/2 cup white sugar (100 grams)

  • 1 egg

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon rose water*

  • 1 cup all purpose flour (120 grams)

  • 3/4 cup bread flour (90 grams)

  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

  • 3-4 pieces of baklava, chopped (100 grams)

  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (25 grams)

  • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios, plus extra for topping (30 grams)

  • 1 tablespoon rose petals, plus extra for topping

Method:

  1. First make the brown butter: Place the butter in a light colored pot over medium heat and let it melt down until liquid. Once liquid, constantly stir the mixture and scrape the bottom and sides. Keep a watch on the butter for the next 5 to 8 minutes as it starts to sputter, bubble and become warm golden brown. There will be a lot of foam so in order to check on the color of the butter, pull the pan off the stovetop for a moment to let the foam subside. Once the whey of the butter has turned into a nice golden brown and releases a nutty aroma, turn the heat off and set the butter aside to cool.

    • 3/4 cup of unsalted butter (170 grams - 1.5 sticks)

  2. Once the brown butter is cooled, pour it into a medium sized bowl along with dark brown sugar and white sugar. Beat the mixture with an electric blender until everything is combined.

    • 3/4 cup light brown sugar (150 grams)

    • 1/2 cup white sugar (100 grams)

  3. Add in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat with your blender until smooth and combined.

    • 1 egg

    • 1 egg yolk

    • 1 1/2 teaspoon rose water*

      • Note - If you don’t have rose water you can substitute it with 3/4 teaspoon rose extract.

  4. In a separate bowl, whisk the all purpose flour, bread flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

    • 1 cup all purpose flour (120 grams)

    • 3/4 cup bread flour (90 grams)

    • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

    • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

    • 1 teaspoon sea salt

  5. Add in the dry flour mixture and fold in gently until no dry pockets remain.

  6. Add the chopped baklava, chopped walnuts, chopped pistachios, and rose petals into the cookie dough. Give everything a good mix until fully combined.

    • 3-4 pieces of baklava (100 grams)

    • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (25 grams)

    • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios (30 grams)

    • 1 tablespoon rose petals

  7. Scoop the dough into 4 tablespoon balls and chill in the fridge overnight or a minimum of 8 hours. You should have about 12 cookie dough balls.

  8. Once the cookie dough has chilled overnight, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Place 5 cookie dough balls on the tray, leaving 2 inches of space between each ball.

  9. Bake the cookies for about 9 - 10 minutes or just until the edges are golden brown and set. Smack the pan against the counter to encourage rippling.

  10. Scoot the cookies into position using a round ring and top each cookie with a few reserved cornflakes and toffee pieces. Let them cool for about 10-15 minutes.

  11. Once cooled, sprinkle each cookie with chopped pistachios and crushed rose petals.

    • Rose petals

    • Chopped pistachios

  12. Cookies will last in an airtight container for about 3 days at room temperature. Enjoy!