Ghraybeh Cookies

Rating: 4.25 stars
8 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 5
  • 4 star values: 1
  • 3 star values: 1
  • 2 star values: 1
  • 1 star values: 0

This rich Mediterranean butter cookie is named after the Arabic word for 'swoon', ghraybeh. The key ingredient for these exotic treats is the semolina.

By Grethel

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Recipe Summary

Servings:
24
Yield:
2 dozen
Nutrition Info
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Ingredients

24
Original recipe yields 24 servings
The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).

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  • Sift together the cake flour, all-purpose flour, and semolina and set aside. Beat the butter for at least 10 minutes until it is fluffy. Then beat 2 more minutes while sprinkling in the blossom water and confectioners' sugar. Fold in the flour mixture gradually. Then refrigerate the soft dough in covered bowl for about 10 minutes.

  • On a lightly floured surface, roll or pat the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness, and cut into 1 inch sided diamonds and place them 1/2 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Then place an almond in the center of each cookie.

  • Back 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Do not over bake. Let the cookies cool for at least an hour. The are best served after they have cooled for several hours.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:
117 calories; protein 0.9g; carbohydrates 7.9g; fat 9.3g; cholesterol 21.9mg; sodium 0.7mg. Full Nutrition
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Reviews (6)

Read More Reviews

Most helpful positive review

Heba
Rating: 5 stars
05/17/2010
I can fully assure everybody that they will like it. I'm Egyptian and this is a traditional cookie that we enjoy all year round. Then to my surprise after living 3 years in Scotland and enjoying the yummy Scottish shortbread I discovered that it is the same taste and recipe. It seems that tasty bites has no nationality but humanity! Read More
Helpful
(13)

Most helpful critical review

Kim Treat
Rating: 3 stars
11/21/2003
For the effort and ingredients in these cookies i was expecting an outstanding treat. There was very little "taste" to these cookies and i will be frosting my batch to accomodate. Read More
Helpful
(16)
8 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 5
  • 4 star values: 1
  • 3 star values: 1
  • 2 star values: 1
  • 1 star values: 0
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
Kim Treat
Rating: 3 stars
11/21/2003
For the effort and ingredients in these cookies i was expecting an outstanding treat. There was very little "taste" to these cookies and i will be frosting my batch to accomodate. Read More
Helpful
(16)
Heba
Rating: 5 stars
05/17/2010
I can fully assure everybody that they will like it. I'm Egyptian and this is a traditional cookie that we enjoy all year round. Then to my surprise after living 3 years in Scotland and enjoying the yummy Scottish shortbread I discovered that it is the same taste and recipe. It seems that tasty bites has no nationality but humanity! Read More
Helpful
(13)
HEATHER_ARTISTE
Rating: 5 stars
03/02/2011
I have been searching for the recipe to duplicate the cookies of my childhood and this is it! When we used to visit relatives I would eat tons of these but I never got a recipe. The look was not 100% the same so I might try to shape them a little differently but the taste is exact! Not only are they delicious the texture is amazing. Last but not least lactose free! Read More
Helpful
(8)
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Lynn
Rating: 2 stars
12/12/2011
The recipe my mother-in-law who was from Bethlehem gave me was far different than this one. Her recipe is light flaky & full of flavor. There is no way you could frost this cookie. It's my favorite Arabic pastry & if made right they almost melt in your mouth and coat your fingers. There isn't any semolina in her recipe that would make the cookie heavy. Read More
Helpful
(7)
Allrecipes Community
Rating: 4 stars
03/30/2014
Quite tasty! The orange blossom flavor is nice and delicate but the dough was very crumbly and hard to work with. I made some of mine with pistachios instead of almonds--tasted pretty good that way. Read More
Paul
Rating: 5 stars
04/22/2015
I just made this recipe which is actually from Paula Wolfert's fabulous "Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean" cookbook. Shame on the original poster--you Grethel--for apparently lifting the recipe and headnote verbatim from Paula's cookbook without attribution. That's very bad food karma. Paula's a legend in the cookbook world. Read More
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