Baklava Cookies (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ For the Rose Sugar Coating

01 - ⅓ cup caster sugar
02 - ¼ cup edible dried rose petals

→ For the Pistachio Filling

03 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
04 - 1 tablespoon honey
05 - ¾ cup shelled pistachios
06 - 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
07 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - ¼ cup packed light brown sugar

→ For the Cookie Dough

09 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
10 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
11 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
12 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
13 - ½ cup packed light brown sugar
14 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
15 - 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
16 - 3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
17 - ¼ cup caster sugar

# Instructions:

01 - Grab a food processor, spice grinder, or small blender, and blend together 1 tablespoon of sugar and your dried roses until the petals are super fine. Tip the mix into a bowl, blend it with the rest of the sugar, and set it to the side.
02 - Using a food processor, grind your pistachios until they're really fine. Pour them into a bowl and combine them with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch. Mix the melted butter with the honey and stir it into the pistachio blend until everything is nicely mixed. Keep this on standby.
03 - In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a regular hand mixer), beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-speed for about five minutes until it gets super fluffy.
04 - Scrape the sides of your bowl so nothing is left behind, then add egg yolks along with vanilla. Blend on medium speed till the batter looks nice and smooth.
05 - Toss the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl. Mix on low until everything just comes together. At first, the dough might seem crumbly, but with a spatula and a little effort, it’ll turn into a smooth dough.
06 - Turn your oven up to 175°C (350°F) and get two big baking trays lined with parchment paper.
07 - Using a cookie scoop that holds about 3 tablespoons, portion out the dough, placing six scoops per tray. Flatten each scoop with your hands, pop a tablespoon of pistachio mix in the middle, and fold the dough to seal it around the filling. Roll each into a ball.
08 - Take each stuffed dough ball and roll it in your rose sugar until it’s completely coated. Place them back on the baking trays with six cookies to a tray.
09 - Press the cookies down a bit with your hands or the base of a cup until they’re about 1cm thick.
10 - Slide one tray into the oven at a time and bake for 8-10 minutes. Take them out when the edges are firm, but the centers are still soft.
11 - Right when they come out of the oven, use a round cookie cutter or a spatula to nudge any lopsided edges back into shape (this technique is often called 'scooting'). Sprinkle a bit more rose sugar over the cookies while warm, and leave them on the tray to cool fully.

# Notes:

01 - These cookies bring together the sweet and nutty vibe of baklava with honey, pistachios, and spices, all wrapped up like a sugar cookie.
02 - The cookies get even softer thanks to the filling as time goes by. Keep them sealed in a container at room temperature for 4-5 days.

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