Ghraybeh – 3 Ingredient Arabic Butter Cookies!
Last Updated on July 2, 2022 by Team HH
Ingredients:
1 cup ghee/samneh (click here for my recipe for samneh! It includes a particular spice that adds a lot to these cookies and many other Arabic sweets!)
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
Optional toppings:
Chocolate chips
Slivered almonds
Blanched almonds
Pine nuts
Directions:
Combine the ghee and powdered sugar. Whisk well to combine and until they create a pale yellow color – this ensures there is air incorporated in the dough and will result in a light cookie.
Add in the flour (Important: when measuring the flour, do not pack it into your measuring cup. You will end up with much more than you need. Simply use a tablespoon to pour the flour little by little into your measuring cup and level it off with a butter knife). Use a spatula to mix the dough until the flour is just combined. Let the dough chill in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes or until it is easier to handle.
Preheat the oven to 300 F
Working quickly, form the cookies into shapes by taking about a tablespoon of dough and rolling it into a log and either creating an S shape, a circle/wreath, or slightly flatten a ball of dough with your fingers and place a chocolate chip on top to create thumbprint style cookies. For the S or the O shapes, place either a blanched almond, slivered almond or a pine nut on top of the cookies in the center of the S or on the O where the two pieces of dough meet.
Leave about ½ inch space between each cookie on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove from the oven and do not touch the cookies until they’re fully cooled (I know, but resist the urge!! Ok, maybe just one.) Enjoy once fully cooled!
Ghraybeh – 3 Ingredient Arabic Butter Cookies!
Ingredients
- 1 cup ghee/samneh click here for my recipe for samneh! It includes a particular spice that adds a lot to these cookies and many other Arabic sweets!
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
Optional toppings:
- Chocolate chips
- Slivered almonds
- Blanched almonds
- Pine nuts
Instructions
- Combine the ghee and powdered sugar. Whisk well to combine and until they create a pale yellow color – this ensures there is air incorporated in the dough and will result in a light cookie.
- Add in the flour (Important: when measuring the flour, do not pack it into your measuring cup. You will end up with much more than you need. Simply use a tablespoon to pour the flour little by little into your measuring cup and level it off with a butter knife). Use a spatula to mix the dough until the flour is just combined. Let the dough chill in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes or until it is easier to handle.
- Preheat the oven to 300 F
- Working quickly, form the cookies into shapes by taking about a tablespoon of dough and rolling it into a log and either creating an S shape, a circle/wreath, or slightly flatten a ball of dough with your fingers and place a chocolate chip on top to create thumbprint style cookies. For the S or the O shapes, place either a blanched almond, slivered almond or a pine nut on top of the cookies in the center of the S or on the O where the two pieces of dough meet.
- Leave about ½ inch space between each cookie on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove from the oven and do not touch the cookies until they’re fully cooled (I know, but resist the urge!! Ok, maybe just one.) Enjoy once fully cooled!
Thank you for this recipe! It’s simple yet amazing. My whole family loves it 🙂
Hi Natasha! Thank you so much for giving this a try! I would always make these with my family, especially for Christmas time, and pass them out to the neighbors! Next time you make it, feel free to send me a picture on Instagram @thebitewithjackie so I can share it! ❤️
What is the fourth ingredient that enhances the taste of the gharaba cookie
Hi! The ingredient is the spice that I add to my samneh/ghee. I have a recipe and video for how I make it. If you go back to the ghraybeh recipe and click on “samneh”, it will direct you to that blog post. If you don’t have or can’t find that spice (I’ve linked a place where you can purchase the spice), you can also use a very small amount of rose water if you like. Hope this helps! Let me know if you make them!
Thank you so much Jackie for Sharing this easy yet scrumptious delight. Definitely Recommend, These cookies are simply amazing.
So happy you enjoyed them, Juju!! ❤️