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Saffron Zoolbia زولبیا

A beloved Persian sweet that is served during Nowruz, weddings and even at Ramadan.

Course Nowruz Sweets, ramadan, sweets for norooz, sweets for wedding
Cuisine persian cuisine, Persian Food
Keyword Saffron Zoolbia زولبیا
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Overnight 0 minutes
Servings 20 pieces
Author Labsalliebe

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS FOR SAFFRON ZOOLBIA

INGREDIENTS TO BLOOM SAFFRON

  • 1/2 tsp Saffron threads
  • 25 ml Boiling water

INGREDIENTS FOR THE DOUGH (24-HOUR FERMENT)

  • 150 g Wheat Starch
  • 170 g Greek Yogurt 10% fat
  • 2 tbsp Rosewater
  • 2 tbsp Bloomed Saffron

INGREDIENTS FOR THE GOLDEN SYRUP (SHARBAT-E BAR)

  • 200 g Sugar
  • 100 ml Water
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • Rest of bloomed saffron
  • 2 tbsp Rosewater
  • 4 Whole cardamom pods crushed
  • 2 tbsp Honey

ADD TO THE DOUGH BEFORE FRYING

  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda Natron, Add this after the 24-hour rest!

INGREDIENTS FOR FRYING

  • 700 ml Canola oil or vegetable Ghee

INGREDIENTS FOR TOPPING

  • 1 tbsp pistachios ground
  • rose petals dried

Instructions

EASY STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

BLOOM THE SAFFRON

  1. Grind: Take 1/2 tsp of saffron threads and grind them into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle.

  2. Bloom: Pour 25 ml of boiling water over the powder.
  3. Steep: Cover the small bowl or glass and let it sit for 10–15 minutes.
  4. Save for Later: Use 2 tbsp for your batter today. Pour the rest of the liquid saffron into a small jar with a lid and store it in the fridge.

MIX THE BATTER

  1. Mix the wheat starch, yogurt, rosewater, and 2 tbsp of bloomed saffron.

  2. Let it rest in a warm spot for 20–24 hours. This slow fermentation is the secret to the texture!

COOK THE SYRUP

  1. Combine sugar, water, lemon juice, remaining saffron, rosewater, honey, and cardamom.

  2. Simmer for about 15 minutes until it thickens into a golden syrup. Keep it warm.

ADD THE NATRON

  1. After the 24-hour rest, stir the baking soda (Natron) into your batter and pour it into a squeeze bottle.

FRY THE DOUGH AND BATH IN SYRUP

  1. To keep your spirals perfectly round and uniform, use a dessert ring in the hot oil. Squeeze spiral shapes into the dessert rings.

  2. Fry until golden and crispy, then immediately dunk them into the warm syrup so they soak up all that floral goodness.

  3. Zoolbia stays as fresh and crispy as the first day for up to five days (keep it in the fridge).

Recipe Notes

To truly enjoy these sticky, golden spirals, you need the right companion. In a Persian home, that means a glass of steaming Chai (Persian tea). The slight bitterness of the black tea perfectly balances the floral sweetness of Zoolbia!