These deliciously chewy Moroccan ghriba cookies with walnuts and cinnamon are lightly sweet, rolled in powdered sugar, and baked until crackly. Easily make them gluten-free with a few tablespoons of oat flour if needed.
A hint of cinnamon warms these (gluten-free) Moroccan ghriba cookies, which are based on a traditional recipe. I adapted this recipe from several cookbooks, making it gluten-free, although you can absolutely make these cookies with regular flour.
I have a soft spot for North Africa; after all, we lived there for two years! From rich vegetable tagines to couscous made with preserved lemons to honey-soaked and warmly spiced pastries, there is so much to love about Moroccan food.
When I make these ghriba cookies, I'm instantly transported to our house in Casablanca with a view of the vivid blue Atlantic Ocean. Mourning doves cooed from the ever-waving palm tree in the front yard, and the sounds of Missy, the white horse, clip-clopping her way into our neighborhood from Rue d'Azemmour are permanently fixed in my aural memory.
Look at this recipe as my small homage to the continent we called home for a brief window. Walnuts + spice + butter + a little bit of whole grain gluten-free flour come together to make something truly transportive.
For more recipes that call for walnuts, try these gluten-free walnut cookies, oat flour chocolate chip and walnut oatmeal cookies, or make a gluten free banana walnut cake.
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Why I Love Ghriba
Not only does each bite of a ghriba cookie remind me of the years we spent living in Casablanca, Morocco, but they are also just incredibly delicious! Here's why I love these cookies:
- Gorgeous texture. There are plenty of ground walnuts here, which add a crave-worthy chewy texture plus a bit of moisture. Rolling the dough balls in powdered sugar before baking adds a touch of cool sweetness that perfectly balances the nuts.
- Keep so well. Transfer these little beauties to an airtight container on the counter, and they will stay fresh for days even though they're gluten-free.
- Packed with flavor. A hint of butter, a dose of cinnamon, and plenty of walnuts make these cookies super flavorful.
- Easily gluten-free. The original recipe I based this version off of only needed a couple of tablespoons of flour, making it beyond easy to transform into gluten-free. I dare you to tell these are gluten-free.
What Are Ghriba Cookies?
Ghriba are a traditional Moroccan cookie distinguished by their crackly tops, chewy insides, and a little powdered sugar for extra sweetness. They are commonly made with ground walnuts or almonds, and can be flavored with spices or citrus zest. I kept it simple here with a mix of ground walnuts and a little bit of ground cinnamon. You can find other recipes in Moroccan cookbooks or online to try, too. This New York Times recipe for rose and almond ghriba cookies looks very nice.
Ingredients Needed
Check out the ingredients list below to get an idea of what you need to make these cookies. Scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.
- Butter - Unsalted butter is best. Use non-dairy butter or softened coconut oil for a dairy-free option.
- Egg - A large or medium egg is best.
- Granulated sugar
- Cinnamon - I like ground cinnamon here, and you could try cardamom as well.
- Flour - A few tablespoons of flour help to hold the dough together. Use gluten free oat flour , all-purpose flour, or a gluten-free flour blend like my homemade gluten free flour blend instead.
- Baking powder
- Walnuts
- Powdered sugar - Sift the powdered sugar first so it's not clumpy when you go to roll the cookies.
Variation Ideas
- Another nut - I'd first try almonds here instead of walnuts, so the cookies will still emulate a traditional Moroccan recipe. You can, of cours,e try any nuts you wish, though the flavor of the cookies will change a bit.
- Spices - Add more cinnamon for a more flavorful cookie, or try ground cardamom, ginger, or a mixture.
- Honey - Swap the sugar for honey.
- Vegan - Use non-dairy butter or coconut oil and omit the egg. The cookies will be slightly delicate but still delicious.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here's an overview in photos of how to make ghriba
1. Process walnuts: Grind the walnuts in a processor, making sure you don't over-process them.
2. Make dough: Beat the butter and sugar, then add the egg and the rest of the ingredients.
3. Form cookies: Chill the dough a bit, then roll out the cookies, dip them in powdered sugar, and place them on a lined baking sheet.
4. Bake: Place in a preheated 350 F oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
Tips & Recipe Notes
- Don't over-process the nuts. It's a fine line between ground walnuts and walnut butter. Make sure not to overdo it in the food processor. You want the walnuts to retain some texture - this gives the ghriba that lovely chewy vibe.
- Cool the cookies completely. Note that the cookies will still be a bit soft when pulled from the oven. Cool them for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They will firm as they cool.
- Leave off the powdered sugar. I love the hint of extra sweetness the powdered sugar brings. However, for a less-sweet cookie, you can skip rolling them in sugar before baking.
- Try another sugar. As noted above, swapping the sugar for honey is so nice in this recipe! For another sweetener option, try coconut sugar or brown sugar.
Serving Options
- With coffee! Ghriba cookies are so lovely with coffee, and for fun, you can make Turkish/Arabic coffee to serve in little cups alongside.
- With tea, especially Moroccan mint tea. It's worth trying your hand -- and pour - at making Moroccan mint tea, which is delicious and so fragrant.
- As dessert. You could serve glasses of lemon sorbet with ghriba for garnish, or a bowl of vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce and ghribas.
- On a cookie plate. You could absolutely add these cookies to a holiday cookie plate along with oat flour sugar cookies and gluten free shortbread, or on a general cookie plate when you have guests over (for tea or coffee ... of course!)
Proper Storage
- Counter - Store cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - They also freeze well: Place cookies in a freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature to serve.
More Simple Cookie Recipes
Happy baking! If you make this ghriba recipe, I'd love to know. Please leave a comment below, reach out with any questions, and tag me on Instagram @Cucina Nicolina ❤️
Recipe
Moroccan Ghriba Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups walnut pieces coarsely ground in a food processor to form a meal. You can grind them longer to make them finer but be careful not to overprocess them because they can turn into walnut butter.
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons oat flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 large egg together until combined. Beat in the ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 3 tablespoons oat flour, 3 tablespoons oat flourand 1 teaspoon baking powder. Beat in the ground 2 ¼ cups walnut pieces.
- Place the bowl in the fridge and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350° F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place 1 cup powdered sugar in a bowl.
- Remove the dough from the fridge and roll into 1-inch balls. Roll in powdered sugar and place on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Place in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and cool the pan set on a wire rack until set. Dust the cookies with more powdered sugar before serving if you like.
Notes
- Don't over-process the nuts. It's a fine line between ground walnuts and walnut butter. Make sure not to overdo it in the food processor. You want the walnuts to retain some texture - this gives the ghriba that lovely chewy vibe.
- Cool the cookies completely. Note that the cookies will still be a bit soft when pulled from the oven. Cool them for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They will firm as they cool.
- Leave off the powdered sugar. I love the hint of extra sweetness the powdered sugar brings. However, for a less-sweet cookie, you can skip rolling them in sugar before baking.
- Try another sugar. As noted above, swapping the sugar for honey is so nice in this recipe! For another sweetener option, try coconut sugar or brown sugar.
Nutrition
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Mr.MeMe says
Nom Nom
Aaron Rowell says
How am I supposed to apply "mix until smooth" to apparently unprocessed whole walnuts, and 3 TB of almond flour?
Nicole Spiridakis says
Hi there, As stated in the recipe directions, you coarsely grind/process the walnuts in a food processor, before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients including all-purpose flour. I will add a note to mention how fine to grind the walnuts. Hope that helps.
L Sakellaropoulos says
Love reading about your life abroad... I shared a similar experience and am back in NorCal once again.
Can you substitute almond flour and make these gluten-free?
Efharisto.
Helen says
Nice post... yummy cookies and I remember that horse & carriage. What a time you have had