Cardamom Shortbread Cookies (Shakar Lama)

4.54 from 13 votes

Melt in your mouth sugar cookies, with the delicious addition of cardamom.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Resting Tim30

Total Time1

Course: Dessert, Snacks

Cuisine: Assyrian, Middle Eastern

Servings: cookies

Calories: 110kcal

Cut 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 into 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.

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.