Kahk are traditional cookies for Eid, a Muslim holiday. They are multiple different fillings you can make but this recipe uses agameya (honey) and agwa (dates).
Do I Need to Use Ghee?
Ghee is highly recommended but you can make ghee yourself using regular butter.
To make ghee, just heat butter over low heat and skim off the solids when it begins to separate. The remaining butter is ghee.
Alternatively, you can buy it. It is pretty easy to find
Filling
Filling is required but it really makes these cookies much better. There are many different fillings for kahk but Jeanelle made two for this recipe: agameya (honey) and agwa (date).
Agameya is a honey and nut filling that is quite sticky.
Agwa is a simple date paste with a dash of cinnamon.
How Do You Make Kahk?
Kahk cookies do take a little more time than other cookies. You’ll make a dough with ghee and then a couple of different fillings. Fill the cookies and bake them!
Full list of ingredients and detailed steps are at the end of this page
Make the dough by mixing wet ingredients. Then add dry ingredients. Shape into balls and chill.
Make the agameya (honey) filling. Start by toasting sesame seeds and chopping pistachios
Next, melt ghee and then add honey. Bring this to a boil and then add flour. Whisk until golden and add the sesame seeds and pistachios
Make the Agwa (date) filling. Start by chopping dates. Then melt ghee again and add the dates plus cinnamon
Assemble the cookies before baking by wrapping dough around a ball of either filling
Put a design on the cookies before baking. When they’re done baking and cooled, dust with powdered sugar
Recipe
Kahk (Egyptian Eid Cookies)
Ingredients
Method
- Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix the ghee and powdered sugar until it is light and fluffy
- In a separate bowl, lightly mix together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, and cardamom powder. Add this to the sugar and ghee mixture. Mix until well combined. Add the milk and continue mixing until a dough is formed.
- Use a cookie dough scooper to shape your cookies and place them on a dish lined with plastic wrap. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Chop your pistachios. Size them as rough or as fine as you like.
- In a small saucepan, toast sesame seeds over low heat until they just start to turn color. You are just trying to excite the oils enough to release a great flavor. Set aside after toasting in a separate bowl.
- In the same, now empty, saucepan, melt ghee over medium heat. Add honey and bring it to a boil.
- When the mixture is rolling, add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture is a nice golden color.
- Add the toasted sesame seeds and pistachios and mix until it is mixed evenly.
- Set this aside to cool. Once cooled, take about a teaspoon of mixture and roll into a ball with oiled hands. The mixture should be warm to the touch but not too hot to hold. If the mixture has hardened, heat it a little to loosen it up before balling them up. Do this for the rest of the mixture.
- Chop the dates finely.
- In a small saucepan, melt ghee over medium heat. Add the dates and cinnamon powder and stir.
- Continue heating until a paste is formed adding a teaspoon of water if needed.
- Remove from saucepan and set aside to let cool.
- Once cooled, do the same as for the honey filling. Roll into teaspoon sized balls for filling the cookies.
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Once the dough has chilled and your fillings made and balled up, you can begin assembling the cookies.
- Start by making an indent in each dough ball and placing a ball of filling in. Wrap the dough around to encase the filling entirely.
- Finally, roll the cookie in your hands to round it out. Repeat for all your cookies.
- (optional) Make a design on top of the cookie using a cookie press or whatever contraption you might have.
- Place cookies on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 15-18 minutes at 350℉ or until the tops are golden.
- Remove from oven and let cool. Dust with powdered sugar.
- When the honey filled cookies have cooled, the filling might be too hard. You can fix this by microwaving the cookie for about 10-15 seconds just to loosen it up. Don't break your grannies teeth!