Best Persian Sweets to Try

If you’ve never tasted authentic Persian sweets, you are missing out!

Many of us at the office can’t go a day without eating some classic treats from Iran or nearby countries. We grew up with these Persian sweets and are used to munching on them with our afternoon glass of tea. 

We recently learned that some team members haven’t tried some traditional sweets. To make up for this, we ordered a few of our favorite Persian sweets for the office!

Here are the treats that we enjoy the most!

Our favorite Persian sweets

Fard Sohan

If you are Persian or have been in an Iranian home, then you’ve likely seen sohan. This Persian sweet is quite popular and comes in different varieties.

We love Fard for many of their Iranian snacks, especially this saffron sohan! The container arrived at our office in great condition. We opened it and saw the pistachios sitting atop the brittle toffee.

The only downside is that we ate all of it in two days!

Persian sweets are often enjoyed with a glass of hot Persian tea. Persians often use a samovar to brew their tea. A samovar is an appliace that combines a kettle for water boiling and the teapot into one. This will make sure that the water is only boiled once and that it remains hot after boiling. Click here to see our reviews of the best samovar and here to learn more about tea in the Persian culture.

Gaz – Pistachio Nouget

If you like pistachios, then you will love Gaz. This traditional Persian sweet tastes just like the treats we ate growing up in Iran.

Gaz was first made in Isfahan over 450 years ago. If you can’t make it to the historic city, getting your Gaz from Fard is your best way to taste this classic treat.

You get one pound of tasty nougat in a nicely packed box. The pieces are quite big and have a good amount of pistachios mixed in.

One thing we did not think about was the powder that falls off. It’s great for eating at home but not at the office!

Nabat – Persian Rock Candy

Do you add sugar to your tea? Have you ever tried rock candy, or nabat if you speak Persian? Rock candy is crystallized sugar that you dip in your tea to sweeten it. It comes on a stick so you can put it in a cup of tea, let it sit, and then take it out when you drink. Like many other Persian sweets, nabat was also created in Isfahan, Iran.

We love Golchin’s rock candy because it is sweet, made in the USA, and a great deal. You get two containers of 10 sticks of rock candy. Give one to a friend or keep both to yourself!

Halva

This product is not traditional Persian halva, but it is a tasty treat! For authentic Persian halva, click here to learn a traditional halva recipe.

Golchin makes many scrumptious Middle Eastern sweets. Their halva is no exception. 

This snack has a slight taste of sesame and falls apart in your mouth. It tasted fresh and came in sturdy container. It probably could last a while on the shelf, but we ate all of it after two days!

We found it to be a great afternoon snack with a cup of tea!

Saffron Rock Candy

By now, you already know what rock candy is and how to use it to sweeten your tea. That said, why settle for just sugar? Persians love saffron – it’s no secret. That’s why saffron rock candy, also called nabat, exists!

Shirin combines sugar and saffron to make a delicious nabat. This product is a step up from Golchin’s rock candy in taste and presentation. The saffron adds subtle notes to tea, and the sticks have a very traditional look. 

We couldn’t help but think how ornate each stick of nabat looked while sitting in our tea. Invite some friends and enjoy!

Nan-e Nokhodchi – Chickpea Cookies

These cookies are simple and tasty. Shaped like cloverleaf flowers, chickpea cookies are a staple in any Persian home. If you’ve never tried this Persian sweet, you can think of it as a type of shortbread.

If you go to a Persian house during Nowruz, you’ll most likely see some of these chickpea cookies sitting on the dessert table.

Like many other Persian sweets, try eating these with a glass of tea. Fun fact: Persian chickpea cookies are a dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan snack!

Bamieh – Persian doughnuts

If you like sweet, sticky treats, then you will love bamieh! This is one of the hardest Persian sweets to find since it is best to eat when fresh. You likely will find bamieh in a local international store, especially if you live near Los Angeles. If you want to give it a try yourself, here is a detailed recipe for bamieh.

Your mouth will be watering once you see all the photos of this tasty Persian sweet! Pin this post for later by clicking on the image below: