This easy cardamom shortbread cookie recipe is known by various names in the Middle East, such as Shakar Lama and Ghraybeh. These delicate cardamom cookies are crispy, and buttery, and have a prominent cardamom flavor, which I adore! Enjoy with a cup of coffee or samovar tea.
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These cardamom cookies are also called khourabia in the Armenian culture. Sometimes these cookies are shaped into triangles and other times into braids. Ground almonds are sometimes incorporated into the dough, giving the cookies an extra crunchy texture.
Ghraybeh are often prepared during Ramadan and in celebration of Eid, a religious Muslim holiday celebrating the end of the fast held during Ramadan. Christians in the Middle East also love these cookies and enjoy them throughout the year and for Easter and Christmas.
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Unlike other Middle Eastern sweets like Baklawa, Kileche, or Nazook, cardamom shortbread cookies are simple enough for anyone to make!
- This recipe only requires a handful of ingredients.
- Shortbread cookies have a long shelf life, especially when refrigerated.
- Shakar lama cookies freeze well too, so you don't eat them all in one day.
🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Butter: I prefer to use unsalted room-temperature butter so that I can control the amount of salt in the recipe. If you only have salted butter, don't add additional salt. Some recipes also call for ghee.
- Sugar: I used granulated sugar, however, baker's sugar (caster sugar) and powdered sugar are sometimes used to make these cookies.
- Flour: Some Ghraybeh recipes call for almond flour and wheat flour. I don't recommend using anything but all-purpose flour. If you do, you may not get the right texture or the other ingredients may need to be adjusted.
- Cardamom: Ground cardamom makes these cookies, make sure you use good quality cardamom for the best flavor.
- Salt: A pinch of sea salt is needed to balance out the flavors.
- Almonds: I like to press one almond in the center of each shortbread cookie. Sometimes pistachios are added instead.
🧈 How to Make Cardamom Shortbread Cookies
Step 1: Cut butter into 1″ pieces, and add to a stand mixer, along with sugar. Mix with a paddle attachment until thoroughly blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
Step 2: Add flour, cardamom, and salt to the bowl. Mix until the ingredients are incorporated.
Step 3: Spoon cookie batter into a large ziplock bag or Saran wrap and roll into a log. Chill the dough in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Pre-heat oven to 350°F
Step 4: Using a pastry scraper, slice the chilled dough in half, then in quarters. Slice each quarter into five to 6 equal discs. Place discs on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 5: Press one almond into the center of each cookie. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Ghraybeh or grayybeh are Middle Eastern cardamom-flavored shortbread cookies. They are known by other names too including shakar lama and ghorayba. The cookies are light, buttery, and have a delicate texture.
One ghraybeh typically has approximately 110 calories, 11 grams of carbs, 1 gram of protein, 7 grams of fat, 5 grams of sugar, and .4 grams of fiber.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- In my cookbook, Mom's Authentic Assyrian Recipes, I recommend rolling the dough into a rope, and bringing the ends together, then adding an almond in the center. Either way will work!
- Another way to make Ghraybeh is with powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar. Try it both ways and see which you prefer!
- Many Ghraybeh recipes include the addition of rose water or orange blossom water. I prefer my cookies without.
- If you notice the cookies spread too much after baking, just add ¼ cup of extra flour to the remaining batter, chill, and bake.
🍪 Related Recipes
If you enjoy this cardamom shortbread cookie recipe, check out these related posts!
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Slice butter into 1″ pieces, add to a stand mixer, along with sugar. Mix with a paddle attachment until thoroughly blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Add flour, cardamom, and salt to the bowl. Mix until the ingredients are incorporated.
- Spoon cookie batter into a large ziplock bag or Saran wrap and roll into a log. Chill the dough in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Using a pastry scraper, slice the chilled dough in half, then in quarters. Slice each quarter into five to 6 equal discs. Place discs on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Press one almond into the center of each cookie. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.
Nutrition
Notes
- In my cookbook, Mom's Authentic Assyrian Recipes, I recommend rolling the dough into a rope, and bringing the ends together, then adding an almond in the center. Either way will work!
- Another way to make Ghraybeh is with powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar. Try it both ways and see which you prefer!
- Many Ghraybeh recipes include the addition of rose water or orange blossom water. I prefer my cookies without.
- If you notice the cookies spread too much after baking, just add ¼ cup of extra flour to the remaining batter, chill, and bake.
Leslie Ratliff says
This recipe comes out perfect every time. Whenever I make these cookies I have to make a double batch. Cardamom is used in many Scandinavian recipes and so of course I love this spice. Like any good Norwegian I serve with black coffee. My picture of my cookies is in the comments.
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Leslie! They're one of my favorites too! Thank you so much for the review.
Patty says
Amazing! Light and crunchy! I made mini cookies and I used almond flakes because I didn't have the blanched and peeled ones in my pantry. Deliscious. To add extra cardamon flavor, I used a tsp of cardamon pods. Looked like poppy seeds baked in... pretty. My friends loved them too. So comforting with a strong cup of tea and cream.
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Patty, glad you enjoyed the cookies. I'm curious why you gave it 4 out of 5 stars? Can we improve anything? Thank you!
Leslie Ratliff says
I just made these cookies with a little twist for summer. I added orange rind and tgr tiniest bit of orange extract. So so good! Love this recipe. I will be making it again and again.
Hilda Sterner says
These are Kathy's favorite, with cardamom of course. I think adding orange zest sounds amazing!
Kelly Methey says
These cookies are so good! I could eat the whole recipe BY. MY. SELF! They are that good! By the way, I prefer mine with tea...
Hilda Sterner says
I know, I never make them because when I do, I want to eat them all, and yes, with tea!
Kathy Fisher says
I can't stop making these cookies. There's just something about cardamom that puts me over the top. Why do they get better every time I make them? They're addictive. Fresh cardamom is essential in my opinion. And, it doesn't hurt to have an un
blanched almond on top...I think almonds are Biblical. 🙂
HildaSterner says
I have to agree with you, Kathy! They're my favorite cookie for a reason...
Kathy Fisher says
مُمْتاز I just made these cookies. They turned out even better than I had hoped for. Perfect texture. The taste and flavor of cardamom brings back a flood of childhood memories. The cardamom sold in our grocery stores doesn't have the flavor of fresh cardamom still in the pods that I bought from Amazon. Besides, it's not easy to find in Montana. Thanks Hilda. You made my day. I should have made a double batch. They are disappearing way too fast and there's no one here beside me.
HildaSterner says
Thanks for taking the time to leave the review and so glad you liked the cookies. We seem to like the same foods, don't we?