- Cook's Tip #1: In case you're wondering if you could just use unsalted butter in place of ghee (clarified butter), the answer is no. Ghee is the key ingredient in ghoraybeh butter cookies. Because ghee lacks the water content of regular butter, it produces far softer, melt-in-your-mouth cookies. If you use butter instead, you will end up with crispy butter cookies. Frankly, completely different cookies than ghoryebah. Similarly, there is no substitute for powdered sugar.
- Cook's Tip #2: If you have a super-strong oven, adjust the heat. Maybe try 325 degrees F. The bottom of the cookies should only gain little color.
- Cook's Tip #3: Some Egyptians add a pinch of ground cardamom, you can do that if you want to add more interest and flavor.
- Important TIP: Resist the urge to touch the cookies until they are fully cooled, otherwise they will fall apart! (You can see where I made a little dent below)
- Storage: Store in a tight-lid tin. If stored properly in a cooler area, they will keep for a couple of weeks.
melt-in-mouth butter cookies (egyptian ghorayebah)
Servings 35 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup 195g ghee highly clarified butter
- 1/2 cup 63.77g powdered sugar sifted and more for later
- scant 1/8 tsp 0.5g baking powder
- 2 cups 240g all-purpose flour sifted
- a handfull of almonds slivered, and/or pistachios optional
Instructions
- Place ghee in a large mixing bowl. Using a hand-held electric mixer like this one, mix on low until ghee is whipped.
- Add powdered sugar, then mix again using a hand mixer. Start the mixer on low and then increase speed as needed to medium until the ghee-sugar mixture is whipped (should look smooth and fluffy.)
- Set the mixer aside. Add baking powder, then add 1 cup flour. Knead with your hand to work the flour in, then add the remaining 1 cup flour. Knead again until flour is well incorporated into a super soft dough.
- Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes so that the dough will firm up a bit. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (see tip #2). And prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- When ready, remove dough from the fridge. Take small portions of dough (heaping ½ tablespoons) and form into small walnut-sized balls. Ever so lightly press the top (do not flatten). Arrange on a prepared baking sheet, about 2 to 3 inches or so apart.
- Lightly press a slivered almond on each or some of the cookies.
- Bake in the heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or so (cookies should firm up and gain a bit of color on the bottom. But should remain pretty light in color on top.)
- Remove from the oven. Do NOT touch cookies until cooled (they will fall apart). Sprinkle powdered sugar on top. Enjoy!