Easy Middle Eastern Cookie Recipes You’ll Love Baking

What do you do when the cookie craving strikes? Or worse, when the little Cookie Monsters in your house become restless and start asking you for a sweet treat? While you can hope that Pinterest will have the recipe you’re looking for, this search can take a while, and we all know you need those cookies yesterday. That’s why today I’m going to share with you my go-to Middle Eastern cookie recipes — easy to make, fuss-free, and guaranteed to satisfy the sweet tooth of kids and adults alike.

Each recipe has step-by-step instructions that make getting the best melt-in-your-mouth cookie easier, even if you’re new to baking. Plus, most of the ingredients you’ll need are pantry essentials, so you can whip up a batch of fresh cookies without making an extra trip to the supermarket. 

You can serve these delicious cookies alongside a cup of Arabic coffee or herbal tea — the perfect combination for a relaxing break in the middle of a busy day. That being said, it’s time to bake some cookies.

1. Walnut-Stuffed Mamoul Cookies

There’s no Eid without mamoul, the festive Middle Eastern buttery cookies filled with dates, chopped walnuts or pistachios and dusted with powdered sugar. If you don’t have a traditional wooden mould, don’t worry. You can also shape these semolina mamoul cookies using the cookie moulds you have on hand. 

Watch this beginner-friendly video tutorial to learn how to make these delightful walnut mamoul cookies:

2. Almond Butter Cookies

Who says sweet snacks can’t be healthy? These crunchy almond butter cookies require only one bowl and a handful of ingredients to make. Use roasted almonds to get that ultimate nutty flavour. 

3. Makroota – Aniseed Pinwheel Cookies

Makroota is a sugar-free Palestinian dessert that combines the natural sweetness of dates with aromatic spices and seeds. Addictive to the last bite and rich in flavour, these aniseed and date pinwheel cookies will leave your kitchen smelling divine. 

4. Lili-Rose Cookies 

Topped with rosewater icing, dried rose petals, and chopped pistachios, these crunchy Lili-Rose cookies are a colourful addition to any dessert table and, at the same time, the best fuss-free treat for your everyday sweet cravings.

5. Petit Four Butter Cookies

These chocolate-dipped petit four cookies are buttery, crumbly, and filled with delicious fruit jam — everything you’d want in a cookie. Petit fours come in all shapes and sizes, so you can make them using metal cookie cutters, a piping bag with shaped nozzles or a cookie press. If you know someone that enjoys edible gifts, these petit four cookies are bound to make a sweet impression. 

The following three cookie recipes are not Middle Eastern, but I’ve decided to include them anyway as they’re easy to make, chewy, and simply addictive. Plus, the ingredient list is minimal, meaning you’re already halfway to enjoying a delicious sweet treat.

6. Rolled Oats Cookies

You can’t go wrong with a classic rolled oats cookie. These homemade buttery cookies are the best comforting and chewy treat for your morning coffee or tea. You can also serve them as a quick weeknight dessert or turn them into an effortless after-school snack for your kids. 

7. Choc Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

Choc chip peanut butter cookies are a real crowd-pleaser — crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the outside, and ready to eat in 15 minutes. And who can forget their mood-boosting powers? Nothing can turn around a bad day like a batch of fresh choc chip cookies waiting for you on the cooling rack. 

8. Sandwich Peanut Butter Cookies 

What do you get if you combine two soft peanut butter cookies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and top everything with crunchy crushed peanuts? The easiest summer dessert you’ll ever make. 

Quick tips for foolproof cookies

Baking cookies is such a rewarding experience — you get a couple of simple ingredients from your pantry, mix them together, and bake them into deliciously crispy or chewy treats. 

The key to making the perfect cookies at home is always using high-quality ingredients and following kitchen-tested recipes. Other than that, here are a few quick baking tips that will help make your life as a cookie baker a lot easier: 

• Make sure to soften the butter at room temperature for at least 15 to 30 minutes before adding it to your cookie dough. If you are in a rush, just pop the butter into the microwave for approx 20 seconds.
• Avoid overmixing the dough to prevent your cookies from becoming too dense.
• Let the eggs sit at room temperature for a couple of minutes if you want to achieve a fluffy texture for your cookies.
• Get evenly baked cookies by setting them apart in the baking pan and placing the pan on the middle rack of the oven where the air circulation is better.
• Allow freshly baked cookies to cool down for a while before transferring them to a cooling rack.
• Use baking paper instead of greasing the pan for easier cleanup.

I hope you enjoyed these recipes and if you try them, don’t forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram — I absolutely love to see your creations. Also, sign up for my newsletter to get more delicious Middle Eastern recipes and helpful cooking tips directly in your inbox.

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