Ghriba are soft, chewy Moroccan almond cookies coated with powdered sugar. Make this easy, no chill recipe with a short list of ingredients in less than 30 minutes!
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I first tried these traditional Moroccan cookies (known as ghriba or ghoriba) when I was teaching English in Morocco. Recipes and flavors vary throughout the country. Every version I tried was delicious!
The most common flavors are walnut, coconut and amond (like these). Almond flour and orange blossom water flavor give this recipe a lovely flavor.
Like other traditional recipes such as Lebanese turmeric cake, I didn’t put too much of a spin on my version. They are my way of making cookies that taste like the delicious cookies I enjoyed in Morocco!
For more cookie recipes with Middle Eastern flavors, try these hibiscus cookies, and rose water shortbread cookies.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple recipe: Ghriba Moroccan cookies are made with just 9 ingredients and are easy to bake in less than 30 minutes!
- Best texture to bite into: Almond ghriba have slightly crisp edges and soft middles like my turmeric sugar cookies.
- Delicious almond flavor: Almond flour gives these such a delightful almond flavor. Almond lovers should also be sure to try my yummy almond coffee cake!
- Dusted with powdered sugar: The light coating of powdered sugar make these so yummy to bite into just like these lemon crinkle cookies recipe.
- Perfect with tea or coffee: Enjoy these cookies for an afternoon or after dinner treat.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: Use room temperature unsalted or salted butter. This recipe is made with only two tablespoons of butter!
- Granulated sugar: Use granulated sugar for the cookie dough.
- Powdered sugar: For coating.
- Almond flour: Make sure to use blanched almond flour and not almond meal. If you’re in the mood for more almond desserts, try my almond blackberry cake.
- Flour: Use all purpose flour. Be sure to spoon your flour into your measuring cup or use a scale so that you don’t use too much flour.
- Baking powder: It help the cookies rise.
- Orange blossom water: Orange blossom water is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine. I love its floral, citrusy flavor and it’s delicious with almond. You can also use it to make my grapefruit olive oil cake!
- Eggs: Use 2 large room temperature eggs.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap in rose water in place of orange blossom water.
- Stick or press one almond into each cookie dough ball before baking. Almonds make a nice decoration. They also let people know the flavor of the cookies! My pinwheel date cookies recipe is another yummy nut cookie recipe made with pistachios!
- Instead of almond flour, you can grind your own blanched almonds in a food processor.
- For citrusy flavor, add the zest of 1 lemon in place of orange blossom water.
- Insead of powdered sugar, roll cookies in turbinado sugar. It adds a little crunch and extra sweetness.
Instructions
Step 1: (See photo 1 above). Whisk to combine the granulated sugar and almond flour (or ground blanched almonds).
Step 2: (See photo 2 above). Use your hands or a spatula to rub the butter and orange blossom water into the almond flour mixture til well combined.
Step 3: (See photo 3 above). Add the eggs and dry ingredients (all purpose flour, baking powder and salt). Mix with your hands or a spatula til mixture is completely combined and smooth.
Step 4: (See photo 4 above). Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough. Roll into a ball then roll in the powdered sugar.
Step 5: (See photo 5 above). Place the balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Press the tops down very lightly with your fingertips.
Step 6: (See photo 6 above).Bake 12-14 minutes until cookies are set when you press them lightly.
Expert Tips
- Use blanched almond flour and not almond meal.
- Check that your baking powder is fresh and not expired.
- Don’t flatten cookie dough balls completely. Gently press down the very tops.
- Allow cookies to cool completely on a cooling rack before storing them.
Recipe FAQs
Use rose water instead of orange blossom water for another floral flavor.
No. This is a no chill cookie recipe. Just mix it up, form the cookies and bake!
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
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Moroccan Cookies (Ghriba)
Ingredients
- 2 cups (224 g) almond flour or ground blanched almonds
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) orange blossom water or rose water or zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 (2) large eggs room temperature
- ⅔ cup (83.33 g) all purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoons (1¼ teaspoons) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) salt
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar for coating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Pour the powdered sugar into a shallow bowl or pie plate.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the granulated sugar and almond flour (or ground almonds). Use your hands or a spatula to rub the butter and orange blossom water into the almond flour mixture til very well combined.
- Add the eggs and dry ingredients and mix together with your hands or a spatula til mixture is completely combined and smooth. The mixture will be somewhat sticky.
- Scoop a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough. Roll each portion into a ball then roll the cookie dough balls in the powdered sugar. Coat them completely with the powdered sugar. Do not shake off any excess powdered sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Press the tops down very lightly with your fingertips. (Don't flatten them completely, just gently press down the very tops).
- Bake 12-14 minutes until cookies have crinkled and are set when you press them lightly. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Rosie
Could I use all Almond flower for a gf recipe?
Natalie Ward
Hi Rosie, Unfortunately I haven’t tried making these cookies using all almond flour so I can’t say how they’d turn out. I would probably try swapping in a gf all-purpose flour. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful. Please let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
Maria
The BEST cookies I have ever had! They are so delicious and feel so light in the stomach too. Truly my favorite cookies and I make them for everyone and myself often. Absolutely love it!
I was wondering, when K shape the cookie balls and freeze them down, and after they thaw, when they should be rolled in sugar. Why is it that they should be rolled in granulated sugar, along with powdered? Should the granulated and powdered sugar be mixed together or separately? If separate, then granulated or powdered first?
Natalie Ward
Hi Maria! Your comment put a big smile on my face and I’m so happy these cookies have become a favorite for you! Thank you for pointing that out. I think there’s an error in my freezing instructions. After you freeze the uncoated dough balls, thaw them at room temperature for 20-30 minutes then roll in powdered sugar and bake as directed. I’m sorry for the confusion. I’ll update the recipe soon! So glad you’re enjoying them! -Natalie
Kay
Amazing recipe! Made these cookies and brought them to a friends place for a dinner invite, they disappeared quick and everyone loved them.
Natalie
Hi Kay! Thank you so much for making these cookies! I’m so happy they were such a big hit!
Graham Gledhill
Had these made with coconut and Semolina by my Moroccan sister inlaw, absolutely delicious.
so morish especially with Atay.
Natalie Ward
Hi Graham, Aren’t they so good?! Thanks for sharing that nice memory. I love the coconut version too and so perfect with Moroccan tea 🙂