Pistachio Semolina Syrup Cookies (All-Butter, Egg-Glazed)

Name: Pistachio Semolina Syrup Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 160 min
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 3 1/2 cup granulated sugar, for the syrup; 3 1/2 cup water, for the syrup; 3 drop lemon juice, add when syrup is boiling; 180 g butter, room-temperature; 2 eggs, use 1 whole egg and 1 egg white for dough, reserve 1 yolk for topping; 1 cup powdered sugar, for the dough; 1 packet baking powder, approximately 10g; 5 tbsp semolina, heaping; 4 cup all-purpose flour, add gradually until dough is soft and nonsticky; 3 tbsp ground pistachio, finely ground, for topping

What You Need

Ingredients

24 cookies

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Cracking usually happens if the dough is too dry from excess flour. Add the flour very gradually until just soft and nonsticky.

Cool the syrup completely before pouring it over the hot cookies. Let them rest so the syrup has time to soak in.

Letting the cookies rest in the syrup for at least 2 hours allows them to firm up. Moving them too soon will cause crumbling.

No, bake these on a conventional setting without the fan. A fan can dry out the exterior too quickly and cause uneven browning.

They need a minimum of 2 hours to soak up the liquid fully. Letting them rest overnight yields an even better texture and flavor.

It is best to mix and bake the dough immediately so the baking powder remains active. However, you can prepare the syrup days in advance.

Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. For longer storage of up to a week, keep them chilled in the refrigerator.

Yes, you can freeze the unbaked dough securely wrapped for up to three months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before shaping and baking.

Add the ground pistachio after the cookies have soaked and cooled completely. Sprinkling it on too early can make the nuts soggy.

Step By Step

Instructions

Prep
Make the Syrup First
Stir the granulated sugar and water together in a saucepan and bring everything up to a nice, rolling boil. As soon as the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture bubbles away, swirl in the lemon juice. Pull the saucepan off the heat right away and set it aside to let the syrup cool down completely before you need it.
3 1/2 cup granulated sugar3 1/2 cup water3 drop lemon juice
Bring the Dough Together
Grab a large mixing bowl and work the room-temperature butter together with one whole egg and one egg white from the eggs, the powdered sugar, and the baking powder. Mix until everything turns completely smooth and creamy. Stir in the semolina, then gently fold in the all-purpose flour little by little until you get a soft, supple dough that doesn't stick to your hands.
6 1/3 oz butter2 eggs1 cup powdered sugar1 packet baking powder1/3 cup semolina4 cup all-purpose flour
Shape and Score
Roll and shape the dough into neat, walnut-sized ovals, arranging them across a parchment-lined baking tray. Brush the tops evenly using the reserved yolk from the eggs to get that gorgeous bakery shine. Gently drag the tines of a fork across each cookie to create those traditional decorative ridges.
2 eggs
Cook
Bake to a Golden Finish
Slide the baking tray straight into your preheated oven at 180 C on a conventional no fan setting. Start checking on your all-purpose flour and semolina dough pieces around the 15 minute mark to see how they are browning. Give them roughly 20 minutes total, pulling them out the moment they turn an even, appetizing golden color.
4 cup all-purpose flour1/3 cup semolina
Finish
Soak in the Cool Syrup
Let your freshly baked cookies rest right on the tray for 3 to 4 minutes after they come out of the oven. Slowly ladle the cooled syrup made of water, granulated sugar, and lemon juice directly over the hot cookies. Now let them sit on the counter at room temperature for at least 2 hours so they can soak up every drop of that fragrant syrup.
3 1/2 cup water3 1/2 cup granulated sugar3 drop lemon juice
Top with Pistachios and Serve
After the cookies have soaked up all that liquid and fully settled, shower the tops generously with the finely ground pistachios so they cling to the glossy finish. Share them right away at room temperature, or tuck any extras into an airtight container to enjoy over the next few days.
3 tbsp ground pistachio

You are going to love these buttery semolina cookies - we give them a quick egg wash and a classic fork-scored pattern right before they slide into the oven. The magic trick here is pouring completely cooled lemon syrup straight over the cookies while they are piping hot, then giving them at least two hours of quiet time to drink it all up. Wait until they have cooled down before adding the ground pistachios so your bright green garnish stays beautifully crisp and distinct.

Take your time and incorporate the flour gradually; adding too much will leave your dough dry and make the cookies crack while baking. We are dressing this batch up with a vibrant pistachio topping instead of pressing a single hazelnut into the center like we do on our classic Turkish şekerpare.