Eid is incomplete without ghraybeh. I grew up with these buttery soft, melt-in-your-mouth cookies as my mom would love to bake these. My mom is not huge on baking, but these cookies are so easy and simple to bake that even she would have no issues whipping up a batch.
Not only are these cookies incredibly easy to make and absolutely delicious, they are also common to many different cultures. In Pakistan, these are called nan khatai and in Turkey, they’re called un kurabiye. Of course, each culture alters the recipe a little based on the palette of the region.
TRY THIS MIDDLE EASTERN SEMOLINA CAKE!
What Do You Need For Ghraybeh?
These cookies need only three ingredients in a very simple ratio of 1:1:2 (butter:sugar:flour).
- Butter: You need your butter to be a little colder than room temperature. This helps out cookie dough come together well and not melt in your hands.
- Powdered Sugar: You can’t use granulated sugar for this recipe. The powdered sugar gives the dough a smooth and silky texture.
- Flour: You will need twice the amount of sugar and butter that you use.
Can I Elevate The Flavors of Ghraybeh?
That would be highly encouraged. I love the classic ghraybeh but you can make almond, pistachio and walnut variations as well by replacing 1/3 of your flour measurements with almond meal, ground pistachio or walnut. You can also add colors, essences or flavoring as per your liking.
If you’re going with the classic recipe, you can also have fun with the toppings of your ghraybeh. I used almonds, walnuts and mango and cherry jam.
Ghraybeh | Middle Eastern Shortbread Cookies
12
cookies20
minutes10
minutesKeep your device screen on
Ingredients
- For the ghraybeh
1/2 cup softened cool butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup flour
- For the toppings
almonds
walnuts
mango jam
cherry jam
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 180 °C.
- In a bowl, add your cool soft butter and powdered sugar.
- Beat the sugar and butter together until fluffy and the mixture turns pale in color. You can use an electric whisk or your hands if you fancy a quick arm workout.
- Now add your flour and use your hands to knead the dough for about 5-8 minutes. Don’t add any liquids to the dough, you want it to be crumbly and just coming together.
- Once your dough comes together, divide it into equal parts and start shaping your cookies. This recipe makes 9-12 ghraybeh.
- Place your cookies on a baking sheet and add your toppings.
- Bake for 7-10 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies turns golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to fully cool before enjoying these ghraybeh.
