A simple Middle Eastern shortBread cookies made with only four ingredients. These white creamy colored cookies, infused with orange blossom water are so addictive and incredibly delicious.
Ghraybeh is a traditional Palestinian cookie. This S shape treats can undeniably set you in the mood for the Christmas’ holiday baking. My mother often made them during this time of the year.
Ghraybeh’s taste is extremely scrumptious, they are unlike any other cookies, every bite simply melts in your mouth, and you know why? That goes for the magic ingredient that is a MUST to use in this recipe, which is ghee.
The difference is if you use butter and not ghee, ghraybeh turns crunchier and more like a cookie rather than soft and melty.
The pure fat in ghee makes the taste softer, so ghraybeh is not supposed to be chewy nor crunchy like other cookies, but rather firm and soft. I’ve got you covered and have the perfect easy recipe to make your own ghee,!
Baking cookies is one of the most joyful things to do in the celebration and welcoming of Christmas. This is something people across the globe seem to share and not just in Palestine. So have fun making those cookies and feel free to shape them whatever you like. Happy Baking!
Simple Middle Eastern ShortBread Cookies – Ghraybeh
- Prep Time: 60
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: desert
- Cuisine: middle eastern
Description
A simple Middle Eastern shortBread cookies made with only four ingredients. These white creamy color cookies, infused with orange blossom water are so addictive and incredibly delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Ghee
- 1 cup confectioner sugar
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- 1/2 cup raw pistachios
Instructions
- In a bowl mix room temperature ghee (make sure it’s soft) with confectioner sugar, gradually add flour and blossom water continue to combine. Mix well until you get a soft smooth dough.
- Mix chopped pistachios with the dough or you can place one pistachio or pine, on top of each ghraybeh after shaping the dough.
- Place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Take the dough out of the fridge and start by forming small pieces with your hands roll them into a long log, cut in about 1 finger size, then slightly shape into the letter S. Another option can be by simply making a small round ball, and flattening it with your hands.
- Continue until all dough is done.
- Bake for about 13-15 minutes.
Notes
Extra tips:
- Make sure ghee is more liquid you can place it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes but it should be at room temperature when mixed with the other ingredients.
- Another option to use chopped roasted almonds instead of pistachios, roasted almonds also bring a different delicious flavor.
- Ghrabybeh might look super soft once taken out of the stove, don’t be alarmed it will firm up once cooled off.
- To have extra nuts on the top, dip the top of each piece in the chopped nuts.
