Traditional Nowruz Pastries

During the Nowruz season, visiting friends, family, and neighbors—a tradition known as Did-o-Bazdid—is a daily occurrence. Every household must be prepared to host guests at a moment's notice. Because of this, coffee tables are kept permanently stocked with tea, fresh fruits, mixed nuts (Ajil), and an array of traditional Persian sweets (Shirini).

Serving sweets is vital for Nowruz, representing the hope for a "sweet" and joyous year ahead. Here are the most traditional pastries served:

Shirini Nokhodchi (Chickpea Cookies)

These are perhaps the most iconic Nowruz cookies. Made from finely roasted chickpea flour, clarified butter, powdered sugar, and cardamom, these tiny cookies are incredibly delicate and melt instantly in your mouth. They are traditionally cut into the shape of a four-leaf clover and garnished with a sliver of pistachio.

Baklava (Persian Baghlava)

While baklava is famous across the Middle East and Mediterranean, Persian baklava (particularly from cities like Yazd or Qazvin) has a distinct profile. It is often less syrupy than its Turkish counterpart and is heavily flavored with rosewater, cardamom, and saffron. It is typically filled with finely ground almonds and pistachios and cut into small diamond shapes.

Noghl (Sugar-Coated Almonds)

Noghl are small, crunchy, snow-white candies. They are made by taking slivers of roasted almonds and repeatedly coating them in a boiling sugar syrup infused with rosewater until they form a bumpy, sweet shell. They are a staple of the Haft-Sin table and are often eaten alongside black tea.

Sohan (Saffron Brittle)

A specialty of the city of Qom, Sohan is a rich, buttery, and crunchy toffee-like brittle made from sprouted wheat flour, butter, egg yolks, massive amounts of saffron, cardamom, and rosewater. It is studded with pistachios and almonds and is famously addictive.

Gaz (Persian Nougat)

Originating from the city of Isfahan, Gaz is a soft, chewy white nougat. Traditionally, it was made from the sweet sap of the native tamarisk tree, though today it is usually made from egg whites, sugar, and corn syrup. It is generously loaded with roasted pistachios or almonds and flavored with rosewater.

Toot (Marzipan Mulberries)

Toot means mulberry in Persian. These are simple, no-bake, vegan sweets made by mixing finely ground almonds with powdered sugar and rosewater to form a soft marzipan. The mixture is then shaped by hand to look like a small white mulberry, with a slivered pistachio inserted at the top to act as the stem.