This special Persian sweet is made with a lightly fermented batter and flavored with saffron and rose water.


Zoolbia Recipe: How to Make the Crispy Persian Dessert 

*Zoolbia* is a sweet, crunchy Iranian fritter typically served alongside a cup of tea. The sweet fritter consists of corn starch, yogurt, and flour that is lightly fermented, added to a squeeze bottle, and deep-fried in hot oil. The result is a crispy tangle of dough that resembles funnel cake. After frying, *zoolbia* are soaked in a sugar syrup flavored with saffron, [rose water](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-with-rose-water), and sometimes cardamom and ground pistachios. This sweet dessert is a part of South Asian and Iranian cuisines: In Iran, *zoolbia* are traditionally served during iftar, the post-sunset Ramadan meal, and *Nowruz* (Iranian New Year). In India, this sweet treat is known as *jalebi* and is one of its national desserts.

*Zoolbia* and *bamieh* are fried desserts from the Middle East that are coated in rose water and saffron syrup, but these Persian recipes have different shapes and are made with different types of dough. [*Bamieh*](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/bamieh-recipe) is made with a choux pastry-like dough and shaped using a star-tipped piping bag, like churros with a donut texture. *Zoolbia* is made with a thin batter and shaped using a squeeze bottle, similar to funnel cakes with a crispier texture. 

This special Persian sweet is made with a lightly fermented batter and flavored with saffron and rose water.


Zoolbia is a sweet, crunchy Iranian fritter typically served alongside a cup of tea. The sweet fritter consists of corn starch, yogurt, and flour that is lightly fermented, added to a squeeze bottle, and deep-fried in hot oil. The result is a crispy tangle of dough that resembles funnel cake. After frying, zoolbia are soaked in a sugar syrup flavored with saffron, <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-with-rose-water' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-cook-with-rose-water","linkCopy":"rose water","category":null}'>rose water</a>, and sometimes cardamom and ground pistachios. This sweet dessert is a part of South Asian and Iranian cuisines: In Iran, zoolbia are traditionally served during iftar, the post-sunset Ramadan meal, and Nowruz (Iranian New Year). In India, this sweet treat is known as jalebi and is one of its national desserts.

What Is Zoolbia?

Zoolbia and bamieh are fried desserts from the Middle East that are coated in rose water and saffron syrup, but these Persian recipes have different shapes and are made with different types of dough. <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/bamieh-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/bamieh-recipe","linkCopy":"\u003cem class=\"mc-text--italic\"\u003eBamieh\u003c/em\u003e","category":null}'>Bamieh</a> is made with a choux pastry-like dough and shaped using a star-tipped piping bag, like churros with a donut texture. Zoolbia is made with a thin batter and shaped using a squeeze bottle, similar to funnel cakes with a crispier texture.

What Is the Difference Between Zoolbia and Bamieh?

Easy Zoolbia Recipe

This special Persian sweet is made with a lightly fermented batter and flavored with saffron and rose water.