Crackled, chewy Moroccan almond cookies with a soft interior, rolled in powdered sugar before baking, a classic Eid and holiday treat.
Ghriba are Morocco's beloved crackled cookies, made with ground almonds and just enough flour to bind them, giving a texture that's crisp on the outside and dense, chewy, and slightly gooey within. They're a fixture of Moroccan celebrations -- Eid, weddings, and holiday gatherings -- rolled generously in powdered sugar before baking so the dough cracks dramatically as it spreads, revealing the golden cookie beneath a snowy white coating. The technique that defines ghriba is minimal handling and the sugar coating: the dough, enriched with ground almonds and a little oil or butter, should be mixed just until it comes together, then rolled into balls and coated heavily in powdered sugar before baking at a moderate temperature, which causes the classic crackle pattern as the cookie expands. Slightly underbaking is intentional -- ghriba should be pulled from the oven while the centers are still soft, since they firm up as they cool, and overbaking leaves them dry and crumbly rather than pleasantly chewy. Served at celebrations alongside mint tea, ghriba's appeal is entirely in that contrast -- a crackled, sugar-dusted exterior giving way to a soft, nutty, faintly chewy center.
Serves 8
Combine ground almonds, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and almond extract if using. Fold into the dry ingredients until just combined into a soft, slightly sticky dough.
Cover and refrigerate the dough 30 minutes to firm up for easier handling.
Roll dough into 1.5-inch balls. Roll each generously in powdered sugar until fully coated.
Preheat oven to 170C/340F. Place balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced apart, and bake 12-15 minutes until cracked on top and just set at the edges but still soft in the center.
Let cool completely on the tray before moving -- they firm up as they cool. Serve at room temperature.
Coat the dough balls generously and evenly in powdered sugar -- a thin coating won't crack as dramatically or look as classic.
Pull the cookies from the oven while they still look slightly underdone in the center; they continue to set as they cool and overbaking makes them dry.
Chill the dough before shaping -- warm dough is too sticky to roll into neat balls and coat properly.
Ghriba bahla: use only almonds without flour for a flourless, more traditional version (denser and chewier).
Add orange blossom water to the dough for a fragrant, distinctly Moroccan floral note.
Use ground walnuts or a mix of almonds and coconut for a different flavor profile.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week; they stay soft and chewy well beyond that if sealed properly.
Ghriba are a celebration staple across Morocco and the broader Maghreb, closely associated with Eid al-Fitr and other festive occasions, with regional variations found in Algeria and Tunisia under similar names, all sharing the distinctive crackled sugar coating.
The powdered sugar coating was likely too thin, or the oven temperature too low. Coat generously and make sure your oven is properly preheated to 170C/340F.
Yes -- pre-ground almond flour works well and saves a step, just make sure it's finely and evenly ground for the best texture.
They were likely overbaked. Pull them from the oven while the centers still look a bit soft and underdone -- they'll firm up perfectly as they cool on the tray.
Per serving (40g / 1.4 oz) · 8 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.
