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–+ servings
Graybeh

Arabic Butter Cookies (Graybeh)

Light and fluffy these Arabic cookies are so easy to make and the whole family is going to love them! Graybeh, or Middle Eastern shortbread cookies have many variations throughout the Middle East. I made a classic and super easy variation with just flour, powdered sugar, butter and a little vanilla for flavor. Don't forget the pistachio or almond pressed on top of your Arabic butter cookies this is a must!
5 from 5 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
chill time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Appetizer, baking, Dessert
Cuisine Arabic, Jordanian, Lebanese, Middle Eastern, Palestinian, Syrian
Servings 24 graybeh cookies
Calories 126 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup room temperature butter or ghee
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or rose water
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 24 whole pistachios or whole almonds

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl, add powdered sugar, room temperature butter, vanilla, and salt.
    1 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup room temperature butter, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt
    butter and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl with vanilla extract
  • Beat butter into sugar until creamy with an electric mixer.
    butter whipped into powdered sugar
  • Add half of the flour and beat again with your mixer.
    2 cups all purpose flour
    Arabic butter cookies graybeh middle eastern butter cookies 3
  • Set mixer aside and add the other half of the flour. You will have to use your hands to knead the rest of the flour in until a ball of dough forms.
    Cover the dough with parchment paper and refrigerate for 1 hour.
    Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • After 1 hour, remove the dough from your fridge. Scoop by 1 tablespoon scoops and roll in your hands.
  • Press the ball of dough with your hands to flatten just a little bit. Place cookies on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
  • Press either a pistachio or an almond into the top of each cookie.
    24 whole pistachios or whole almonds
    graybeh with pistachios before baking
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes till slightly golden brown and the edges will have very small cracks. Cool and enjoy!
    arabic butter cookies with pistachios

Video

Notes

HOW TO MAKE ARABIC BUTTER COOKIES WITH ROSE WATER- Simply replace the vanilla extract with rose blossom water. For a stronger rose flavor, add 2 teaspoons per batch!
HOW TO MAKE ARABIC SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH GHEE- If you love baking with ghee you can replace the 1 cup of butter in my cookie recipe with 1 cup of ghee. Some people swear by ghee in their graybeh cookies! 
Nutrition facts for any recipe on thehintofrosemary are only an estimate and not guaranteed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1graybeh cookieCalories: 126kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 1gFat: 7.8gPotassium: 18mgSugar: 4gVitamin A: 236IUIron: 0.11mg
Keyword arabcookies, arabicbuttercookies, arabicbuttercookiesrecipe, arabiccookies, arabiccookiesrecipe, graybehinarabic, graybehinenglish, lebanesecookierecipes, middleeasterncookies, middleeasterncookiesrecipes
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