Saffron Baklava Cookies
Ingredients
Dough:
- 3 c all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter
- 1 c sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp saffron
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ginger
Filling:
- chopped nuts (unsalted pistachios, walnuts, almond slices)
- honey
- cinnamon
Topping:
- 1 egg, beaten, for wash
- phyllo dough, cut into flakes with kitchen shears
Directions
Cookies:
Sift flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger together.
Warm the 2 tbsp milk and add the saffron to steep. After the milk turns a dark yellow color, strain out the saffron.
Beat the butter until creamy. Slowly add sugar, and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and saffron milk and beat about 1 minute.
Slowly add the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until the flour has been absorbed and the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
On a work surface, divide the dough into 2 equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disk, then cover in saran wrap and chill in the fridge overnight.
Filling:
Chop nuts. In a bowl, mix the cinnamon and nuts. Mix enough honey to form a sticky paste.
Assembly:
Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking pan.
Roll out the dough to around ½” thick. Use a thumbprint cookie cutter to cut cookies and space evenly on the parchment paper.
Drop a small amount of filling in each “cup” (avoid overfilling, or filling may expand and spill during baking). A pastry bag can be used to simplify the process.
Wash the top of the cookie and filling with egg. Sprinkle phyllo flakes on top of each cookie.
Bake:
Preheat oven to 350. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Dough makes about 1½ dozen cookies.
Sources
Shortbread recipe based on a Williams-Sonoma recipe, modified with saffron cookie recipe from https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/saffron-cookies-296225