Mutekke

(Azerbaijani Cardamom

Walnut Cookies)

March: Spring Equinox

Islander’s cooking club friends are always on the lookout for international recipes to share. For springtime tea, she made a different kind of cookie recipe from Azerbaijan. Mutekke was among her friends’ favorites because it is a beautiful biscuit and tasted unique with the cardamom and walnuts. This cookie is popular in the Caucasus region/Eurasia, especially around this time of the year when spring has sprung in the Northern Hemisphere. Make mutekke to celebrate the arrival of the new season.

Recipe

(Adapted from AZcookbook.com)

For the cookie dough

  • 2 ¾ cup flour, all-purpose
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, sliced into small pieces
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 egg yolks

For the filling

  • 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped 
  • ¼ – ½ cup sugar, granulated white
  • ½ – 1 teaspoon cardamom powder

For the topping

  • Powdered sugar

Directions

In a large bowl, mix the flour with the butter until it resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the sour cream and egg yolks. Knead until a dough comes together and is soft, around 5-7 minutes. 

Roll dough on a lightly floured surface and divide into three parts. Form into balls and cover in plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes. Chop the nuts until they are almost close to coarsely ground texture.

Add to a bowl with the sugar and cardamom powder. Mix well and set aside. On a lightly floured surface, knead a ball of dough and flatten into a disc. Roll to 10-11 inch circle. 

Slice into 8 wedges. On the wide end of a wedge, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of filling. Roll toward top point of the wedge. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet with the point side down. Repeat the process until 24 mutekke are made. Place each about an inch apart on the baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated oven at 375-380 degrees F for 20 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack over another baking pan. Cool completely. Strain powdered sugar over the top. Arrange on platter and serve.

Notes

  • Mutekke is often served during Nowruz, the Persian/Iranian New Year, which is around the Spring Equinox. There are many Iranians living in Azerbaijan so this cookie makes an appearance on party platters at this time.