Almond Ghribas or Ghoribas (Morocco)

Almond ghriba ( or ghoriba) are small, very popular Moroccan cookies, perfect to enjoy with mint tea. These sweets, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, are gluten-free and made primarily with almond flour. Their texture and delicate flavor make them a staple of Moroccan pastry. There are many variations (with walnuts, pistachios, filled, etc.).

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 12 minutes

Total time 22 minutes

Difficulty: Beginner

Special diet: naturally gluten-free

Ingredients

250g of almond flour
100g of powdered sugar
1 egg (Add one more egg if necessary, or one yolk)
1 Tbsp of vegetable oil
1 tsp baking powder (gluten-free or baking soda)
1 tsp vanilla extract (or lemon zest for a tangy touch)
Icing sugar for coating (optional)

Preparation

1
Preheat the oven to 180°C and prepare a baking tray by lining it with parchment paper.
2
Mix the dry ingredients:
3
In a large bowl, mix the almond flour, sugar and baking powder (or bicarbonate).
4
Incorporate the eggs and oil:
5
Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition, then add the oil and vanilla extract (or lemon zest). Mix until you have a smooth batter.
6
Shape the cookies:
7
Take a small amount of dough (about a tablespoon) and roll it into a ball. Roll each ball in icing sugar to coat them (optional).
8
Arrange them on the baking tray, spacing them slightly apart.
9
Cooking :
10
Bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes. The cookies should be lightly golden around the edges while remaining soft inside. Do not let them brown too much so they retain their melt-in-your-mouth texture.
11
Let it cool:
12
Allow the biscuits to cool for a few minutes before moving them, as they are fragile when they come out of the oven.
13
These ghribas keep very well in an airtight container, if you manage not to devour them all immediately!

Keywords: biscuit, almond, Morocco, Maghreb