These Persian Saffron Cookies with Raisins (Shirini Kishmishi) are soft, golden, and delicately fragrant with saffron. An easy traditional cookie recipe perfect for tea time or festive gatherings.
If you find yourself going to cookie exchanges, holiday potlucks or want a new cookie to WOW your friends and family with this holiday season, do I have THE cookie for you! They aren’t drowning in icing or sprinkles, nor are they scented with peppermint.
These golden Persian Saffron Cookies with Raisins (shirini kishmishi) will be a welcome change from the typical holiday fare you find at the dessert table.
Persian desserts have been heavily influenced by the French. From rosettes to rolettes (jelly roll cake) and even the Napoleon, Persian pastries are very similar to the French counterparts. But these saffron raisin cookies are truly Persian.
A few years ago my nephew told me how he baked these cookies for the admission team for the law school he had applied to. He swears these beauties were the extra nudge that got him in! If that isn’t a selling point to try these cookies, I don’t know how else to convince you!
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Why this recipe works
- Super simple: These drop cookies are super to easy to bake at home. I provide step-by-step directions and a video to create this recipe.
- Exotic: Saffron not only makes these cookies bright gold in color, but it also provides this exquisite aroma and flavor that is unique to this spice.
- Better than a bakery: The first time my kids had these cookies was after I bought some from a Persian bakery. They were hooked after the first bite. Now that I have perfected the cookies in my own kitchen, they prefer my version!
- Packed with flavor: These delicate looking cookies have crispy edges, but pillowy soft centers. You taste the butter and saffron in every bite. They aren’t stuffed with raisins, like oatmeal raisin cookies. Usually, each cookie has 3-5 raisins.
Reader’s Reviews
“A friend and I used to get these from a bakery in Isfahan but being away from Iran or any Iranian hub I really wanted to make them myself. Brings back nice memories.” — André
Ingredients you need
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- Saffron: When using saffron, choose long strands that are crimson in color for best quality. Powdered saffron can have food coloring or turmeric mixed in and is not as fragrant as real saffron.
- Butter: I bake primarily bake with unsalted butter, but since I do not add salt to this recipe you could use salted butter.
- Eggs: Large eggs are the standard in baking.
- Raisins: Regular black raisins are traditionally what are used in these cookies. You could use green raisins or other dried fruit, if you prefer.
- Pantry staples: All purpose flour, granulated sugar and vanilla extract.
Step-by-step directions
- Bloom the saffron. In a small bowl combine saffron and hot water. Let saffron bloom and steep in hot water and reserve. The longer it sits the darker the liquid gets.
- Combine wet ingredients. In a large bowl whisk together butter, vanilla and sugar until combined. Whisk in eggs until just combined.
- Finish cookie dough. Mix in reserved saffron mixture and raisins. Stir flour into the batter until a soft dough forms.
- Scoop batter. Drop 1-2 teaspoonfuls of batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. The batter will spread so be sure to space each cookie 2 inches apart.
- Bake cookies. Bake until edges are lightly golden. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
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Expert tips and recipe FAQs
Choosing saffron. I have already written a long post all about saffron, so I’ll keep this short and sweet and to the point. When shopping for saffron, look for long RED threads. You don’t want orange or yellow. That’s not saffron.
Saffron is crazy expensive. Why? You get three threads from one crocus flower. And the crocus flower only grows in a mountain environment. Persian saffron is considered to be of the highest quality you can find. And yes, there are tests taken to prove the quality of saffron.
Do not buy powders, as they can have dyes mixed into them. And the same goes with the liquids. For a recipe that gets its flavor, aroma and color from saffron like these cookies, you want high quality saffron.
Can I use olive oil in these cookies? The base of these saffron raisin cookies is made with butter. Yes, you could swap out the butter and use olive oil using the 3:4 ration of oil to butter. This recipe calls for ½ cup of butter, so you could use ⅜ cup extra virgin olive oil instead.
Alas, I didn’t bake with olive oil?! Surprised right? These cookies are meant to be buttery, again being one of the crucial flavor elements in this recipe. The flavor will change if you use olive oil.
Also, oil cookies don’t brown the way butter based cookies do as they bake. And part of the character of the saffron raisin cookie is the ring of orange where the butter browns at the edges.
More saffron recipes. My family loves these cookies so much that I created the same flavors in a poundcake. Check out my recipe saffron cake with raisins. Saffron is used in other desserts like sholeh zard (saffron rice pudding) and ice cream with saffron and rosewater (Bastani)
And for savory recipes featuring saffron, try my saffron chicken, tahchin (baked saffron rice cake) and my saffron mashed potatoes!
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to one week. Or you can keep them in the refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze the baked cookies. Transfer to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.
Saffron is the stamen from the crocus flower. You get three threads from one flower. The crocus flower only grows in a mountain environment and it is harvested by hand. Persian saffron is considered to be of the highest quality you can find, and there are tests taken to prove the quality of saffron. With high quality saffron, you need to use fewer strands because they create a deeper color and more fragrant flavor.
When cooking or baking with saffron, you first should grind the saffron threads with a mortar and pestle. Once powdered, add a teaspoon or two or hot water to let it bloom or steep, like tea. After 10-20 minutes, you will have a crimson water that you can add to your rice or cookie batter. The longer the saffron steeps in the water, the deeper the color your final dish will be.
Persian Saffron Raisin Cookies (Shirini Kishmishi)
Ingredients
- ¼ teaspoon ground saffron
- 2 teaspoon hot water
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup plus 2 TBS granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- In a small bowl combine saffron and hot water. Let saffron steep in hot water and reserve.
- In a large bowl whisk together butter, vanilla and sugar until combined.
- Whisk in eggs until just combined.
- Mix in reserved saffron mixture and raisins.
- Stir flour into the batter until a soft dough forms.
- Drop 1-2 teaspoonfuls of batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. The batter will spread so be sure to space each cookie 2 inches apart.
- Bake until edges are lightly golden, 12-15 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
I cannot wait to dry this recipe and have my Persian sister-in-law try them. I am sure she will be pleasantly surprised. 🙂
Hi Theresa-
My family absolutely devours these cookies, so I hope you and your family enjoy them, too!
Laura
Hello .Thanks for nice and easy recipe of shirini keshmshi. In the video clip has been shown 2
sticks butter but in ingredients is written 1/2 cup unsalted butter which is one stick.
Which one is correct. 1 or 2 sticks of butter ?
thank you
Hi Lila-
In the US one stick of butter is 1/4 cup of butter.
Laura
in the USA, one stick of butter equals 1/2 cup.
Very easy and tasty recipe! I’ve already made them a few times and it’s perfect.
Thank you for the recipe
Hi Lisa-
Thank you for your sweet words. So glad you are enjoying the recipe.
Laura
Great recipe, thank you for sharing!
A friend and I used to get these from a bakery in Isfahan but being away from Iran or any Iranian hub I really wanted to make them myself. Brings back nice memories.
What a sweet story! Thank you for sharing!
Laura
Hello,
Lovely recipe! I’m going to try making them this weekend, but I was wondering what you thought about using other dried fruits in place of raisins, and if yes, what would your recommendations be? Thanks!
The cookie is traditionally made with raisins. Of course, you could use other dried fruits, but my family prefers the traditional cookie with raisins.
Laura
I made them and they were delicious! Also easy to make. Thank you!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed them! Happy Holidays!
Laura
I’ve had cookies that contain saffron, but not often. These look delightful — the flavor must be tremendous. Thanks!
Thanks so much for this recipe, these are truly delicious! Is it possible to make the cookies/dough ahead of time, ie freeze the cookies or dough?
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies. I have not tried freezing the cookies or the dough, but I believe the dough for sure could be frozen. Most cookie doughs do freeze well. My concern with freezing the cookies themselves is how soft they will be when thawed out. Theses cookies are intended to have crisp edges, which would get lost in the freeze/thawing process.
The recipe looks delicious. Similar to taftun.
Just a note- Elusive, not allusive. unless I missed something to which you alluded.
LOL good catch! Thank you for the heads up!
Hi, i tried today. It’s yum. Soft and easy to make and. Bake too.
Yay! I’m so glad you liked them. Thanks for letting me know!
Laura
I can’t wait to try making these! Yum!
These cookies look fantastic!! Thanks for sharing!!!
I love seeing different cookie recipes like this one around the holidays! Can’t wait to try them!