5.0 from 15 votes
Ghraybeh
Ghraybeh is the Arabic name for Middle Eastern shortbread cookies, delicious melt in your mouth butter cookies that are made with a few simple ingredients.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
1 hr
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 267 kcal
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
Middle Eastern
Ingredients
- 1 cup ghee or butter, room temperature (not melted)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- 1 tsp orange blossom water
- 2.5 cups all purpose flour 315g
- handful shelled pistachios or pistachio slivers
Instructions
- In a stand mixer on medium speed, cream the ghee or butter for a couple of minutes until light in color.
- Add the sugar, rose water and orange blossom water and cream for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the flour, reduce speed to low, and mix until just combined.
- Cover the dough in plastic wrap, and rest the dough in the fridge for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325F (160C).
- Shape little circles of dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheets. Mine were about 20 grams each. Press a whole pistachio into the center of each dough ball.
- Bake for 15 minutes until set in the middle rack of the oven, they won't darken in color but the bottom will be a very light golden brown.
- Cool completely and enjoy!
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Ingredient notes:
- It's best to use ghee as this is the authentic way of making Ghraybeh, but you can substitute pistachios if you want.
- You can leave out the pistachios, and substitute with walnuts or almond slivers, or a dollop of apricot, rose, or raspberry jam.
- Recipe notes:
- Storing leftovers and freezing instructions:
- Leftovers will last two weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.
- You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to two months in an airtight container, they'll thaw quickly at room temperature. You can also freeze unbaked cookie balls for the same amount of time, and bake directly from frozen- this would be my preferred freezing method. Just add 2-3 minutes to cooking time.
- Beat the ingredients in stages very well, it's what will cause that melt in your mouth texture, set a timer to make sure you are beating for the amount of minutes directed in the recipe.
- If you have a kitchen scale, use it to weigh the ingredients. You'll get more precise measurements.
- Don't overbake- these are a very pale cookie as indicated in the photos. They just need to be set!
Nutrition Information
Calories
267kcal
(13%)
Carbohydrates
30g
(10%)
Protein
3g
(6%)
Fat
15g
(23%)
Saturated Fat
9g
(45%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
4g
Cholesterol
38mg
(13%)
Sodium
1mg
(0%)
Potassium
28mg
(1%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
10g
(20%)
Calcium
4mg
(0%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 267
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 267kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 30g | 10% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 38mg | 13% |
| Sodium | 1mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 28mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 10g | 20% |
| Calcium | 4mg | 0% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.