Bastani Sonnati (Persian Ice Cream)

Persian ice cream, also known as Bastani Sonnati, is a creamy and fragrant dessert flavored with saffron, rose water, and pistachios.

Two elegantly presented bowls of Persian ice cream garnished with vibrant rose petals

It’s one of the most iconic Persian desserts, known for its beautiful golden color and distinct combination of floral, nutty, and aromatic flavors.

This easy homemade recipe begins with my favorite, a creamy tub of Tillamook vanilla bean ice cream, making it simple to recreate at home. By adding a few ingredients—bloomed saffron water, rose water, pistachios, and dried rosebuds—you can turn classic vanilla ice cream into a Persian-inspired delight.

Serve it in a beautiful glass bowl topped with pistachios and dried rosebuds, or sandwich a scoop between two thin wafers for a fun and traditional-inspired way to enjoy it.

Yasi Kiani mixes saffron water into vanilla ice cream, creating a rich golden hue in the glass bowl

Bastani Sonnati (Persian Ice Cream) Ingredients

• 48 oz Tillamook vanilla bean ice cream

• 5 tablespoon Saffron water

• 2 table spoon Rose water

• 1/4 cup chopped pistachios

• Dried rosebuds (garnish)

  
  

Bastani Sonnati (Persian Ice Cream) Instructions

1. Soften the ice cream

   Remove the Tillamook vanilla ice cream from the freezer and allow it to soften slightly at room temperature for 15 minutes. You want it soft enough to mix easily, but not completely melted.

   
   

2. Add the saffron and rose water

   Add the bloomed saffron water and rose water to the softened vanilla ice cream.

   Gently mix until everything is evenly incorporated and the ice cream develops a beautiful golden-yellow color from the saffron.

   
   

3. Add the Pistachios

   Fold in the chopped pistachios, making sure they are evenly distributed throughout the ice cream.

   
   

4. Freeze

   Pour the mixture back into the ice cream container or a container safe for freezing. Level the surface, cover it, and place it back in the freezer until it is fully solid- I suggest waiting 3 hours.

   
   

5. Serve

   Once the ice cream has firmed up, scoop it into a glass serving bowl and garnish with chopped pistachios and dried rosebuds for a beautiful finishing touch.

   You can also place a scoop of Persian ice cream between two thin wafers to create an ice cream sandwich. The crisp wafers pair perfectly with the creamy saffron and rose-flavored ice cream

   
   

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Final Thoughts

The combination of fragrant saffron, floral rose water, crunchy pistachios, and creamy vanilla makes Persian ice cream such a special dessert. Starting with your favorite vanilla ice cream also makes this version incredibly simple to prepare at home without needing an ice cream maker.

Whether you enjoy it in a glass bowl topped with pistachios and dried rosebuds or tucked between crisp wafers, this easy Persian ice cream is a beautiful way to enjoy the flavors of saffron and rose water at home.