These subtly spiced, flourless Persian walnut cookies only require a handful of ingredients and are a cinch to make.
When I find myself craving a little treat, a little something special to enjoy with a cup of tea in the afternoon or after dinner, I make these Persian walnut cookies. They’ve become one of my favorite tea time cookies and they couldn’t be simpler to make.
I know at first glance these may look pretty plain, they’re not overflowing with chocolate, or fillings, but they’re far from dull. These nutty little flourless walnut cookies are a pleasant change of pace from the more familiar chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin.
Walnut Cookies
There’s no butter, no oil, and no flour making these walnut cookies naturally gluten-free. With only three main ingredients: ground walnuts, sugar (I use coconut sugar) and egg yolks they’re a fairly easy cookie to make, but the results will impress.
The charmingly simple cookies are delicately spiced, with the warm and aromatic flavors of vanilla and cardamom (feel free to use cinnamon instead if that’s more your thing, but I strongly suggest you give the cardamom a try) and the caramel undertones of coconut sugar. Their lightly puffed and cracked tops reveal a beautifully tender yet chewy interior with a rich, nutty flavor. Here's what you'll need to make them:
Ingredient Notes:
(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Walnuts – You’ll need raw walnuts.
- Sugar – We’re using coconut sugar.
- Eggs – You’ll need 2 egg yolks.
- Vanilla – Use vanilla extract.
- Spices – You’ll need ground cardamom.
- Baking Soda - Baking soda gives the cookies their signature crackled tops.
How to Make Persian Walnut Cookies:
(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe. Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
In the time it takes the oven to heat up, you can have a batch of gluten free walnut cookies ready to bake.
- The raw walnuts and half the sugar are first quickly ground in the food processor.
- Next you’ll whip together the remaining sugar, egg yolks and vanilla until creamy and fold in the ground walnut mixture.
- The mixture is then scooped onto a baking sheet and topped with a few extra crushed walnuts for crunch. A small scattering of flaky salt over the and into the oven they go.
In about 10 minutes you’ll have a fresh tray of cookies cooling, ready to be devoured. All you need now is that pot of tea…
More Persian Recipes:
Persian Walnut Cookies (Gluten-Free)
These subtly spiced flourless Persian walnut cookies only require a handful of ingredients and are a cinch to make.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup/150g raw walnuts (plus more, chopped for topping cookies)
- 3 Tablespoons/45g coconut sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place walnuts and half the coconut sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. (Do not over process).
- In a medium bowl, combine the remaining coconut sugar with the egg yolks and vanilla and beat the mixture until it thickens, lightens in color and increases in volume.
- Mix ground walnuts with baking soda and fold into the egg mixture until well combined. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop dough into balls and place about 2 inches apart onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Top cookies with a few pieces of chopped walnuts and sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
- Bake for 10 -12 minutes until cookies are cracked and golden around the edges. Cool on baking sheet then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Dietary Info:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Paleo, Refined Sugar-Free
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 136Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 39mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 2g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Sarah Ferstendig says
Can I use Almond flour instead of walnuts. And if so, how much
Sylvie says
Hi Sarah, I have not tested the recipe with almond flour but if you'd like to give it a try I would substitute an equal amount by weight which is 150g.
Mary Crane says
Terrific recipe. I put cinnamon and chocolate chips in instead of cardamon. They tasted a lot like regular chocolate chip cookies, which are no longer in my diet, and used up some egg yolks that might have gone to waste!
judy says
Do you think using 1 whole egg could be substituted for 2 yolks? Hate to waste the whites and I 'd have no use for them. Thanks so much!
Sylvie says
Unfortunately no as that would substantially change the texture of the cookie.
angela conifer says
use the egg whites to make a meringue that way they won't go to wast
Ann says
These walnut cardamom cookies are great! They took about the same amount of time to prepare as stated in the recipe, and wow, that’s unusual - so many recipes say it’ll take 15 or 20 minutes to prepare, but in reality it takes way longer. These were quick, the instructions made sense and were easy to follow, and what came out of the oven tasted delicious. I might tweak them with a little extra cardamom next time. I happen to love the taste of cardamom. 🙂
Nha Hoang says
I have to say..these are damn delicious. I used additional things that I had on hand. A touch of cinnamon, clove, and ginger. I made these as a gift and they work so well as a spiced cookie too. These have a wonderful crispy texture. It's very nutty, aromatic, and the salt on top ties it all in. I will definitely make more of these 🙂
Sylvie says
So glad to hear that you enjoyed them!
Reem says
SO happy I found these! I have made them 4 times now--the first time, I couldn't believe they worked out. Truly gourmet. My family has been delighted.
I will say, it takes about 10 minutes to whip the egg yolks by hand. My KitchenAid can do it in a few minutes though. I also add the cardamom with the baking soda.
Thank you SO much for these!
susan says
Hi Sylvie-
These are amazing. I am going to post these on my private FB page!!! Miss you - mama!! xx
Natalie says
These cookies look so good! I love that they're flourless, what makes them perfect for Passover. YUM!
RHONDA @ CHANGE IN SECONDS says
I may substitute almonds for walnuts