These Moroccan cookies are the healthier, vegan versions of traditional Ghriba cookies, made with almond and semolina flours. They're tender yet slightly crumbly and supremely delicious! We love enjoying them with tea or coffee, but they also make an excellent midday snack.
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Why This Recipe Stands Out
These Moroccan Cookies are a hit with anyone who tries them. They're vegan, easy to make, and absolutely delicious. Here's why you'll love this recipe:
- Vegan: These cookies are completely plant-based, making them a great option for vegans and those with dairy or egg allergies.
- Deliciously Unique: The nuttiness from the almond flour along with the texture from the semolina flour truly takes these cookies to the next level.
- Easy to Make: The recipe uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients and doesn't require any special equipment, so anyone can make it.
- Beautiful Texture: The combination of almond and semolina flours gives these cookies a soft, delicate texture that's absolutely irresistible.
Key Ingredients
- Almond Flour – Almond flour adds a rich, nutty flavor and a moist, chewy texture to our Moroccan cookies. It's also a great source of protein and healthy fats.
- Semolina Flour – Semolina flour is the key to the unique, slightly grainy texture of these cookies. It's made from durum wheat, which gives it a slightly sweet, buttery flavor.
- Organic Cane Sugar – We use organic cane sugar to sweeten our cookies. It's less processed than white sugar and adds a delicious hint of caramel flavor.
- Lemon Zest and Extract – The lemon zest and extract add a bright, citrusy flavor that balances the sweetness of the cookies.
- Applesauce – Traditionally, these ghriba cookies call for an egg but I've substituted it with applesauce to get that same texture but make them egg-free and vegan!
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few substitution and variation ideas to make these Moroccan cookies your own:
- Spices: Add a hint of warmth and complexity to the cookies by incorporating spices like cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg.
- Citrus variations: Substitute the lemon zest with orange zest or lime zest to create different variations of the cookies.
- Dried Fruits and Nuts: You can also add chopped dried fruits such as dates, apricots, or raisins and or chopped nuts such as pistachios, walnuts, or pecans.
How to Make Moroccan Cookies
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, semolina flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, rub organic sugar and lemon zest together.
Step 3: Add applesauce and beat with an electric mixer. Beat in vanilla and lemon extract.
Step 4: Slowly add oil and half of the dry ingredients. Beat in the rest of the dry ingredients.
Step 5: In a shallow bowl, add powdered sugar. Roll the dough into balls, roll in powdered sugar, and place on the baking sheet.
Step 6: Press the center of each cookie with your thumb. Bake for 14 minutes.
Step 7: Your delicious Moroccan cookies (Ghriba) are ready to be served.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moroccan Cookies, also known as Ghriba, are traditional cookies from Morocco that are made using semolina flour and almond flour. They're often enjoyed during festive occasions, family gatherings, or with a cup of tea or coffee. They're also simply referred to as Semolina Cookies.
Yes, you can use coarse semolina flour for this recipe, but it will give your crunchier cookies. If you only have coarse semolina flour on hand, you can try grinding it in a food processor or blender to make it finer before using it in the recipe.
Yes, you can prepare the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it for a few hours or overnight. Simply cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. When you're ready to bake, let the dough come to room temperature before shaping and baking the cookies.
Moroccan cookies can be kept for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. If you want to keep them for longer, they can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Recipe
Moroccan Semolina Cookies {Lemon Ghriba}
Ingredients
- 1 c almond flour
- ¾ c semolina flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ c organic cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ c applesauce
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil grapeseed or sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract or increase the lemon zest by 1 teaspoon
- ¼ c powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a large baking sheet with a parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl combine almond flour, semolina flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl add cane organic sugar, lemon zest and rub ingredients together for a minute until sugar is fragrant.
- Add in applesauce and beat with electric mixer for 1 minute. Beat in vanilla and lemon extract (if using). Add oil and slowly add in half of the dry ingredients.
- Continue beating on low until all dry ingredients are incorporated. The dough will be thick and slightly crumbly.
- In a shallow bowl add powdered sugar and set aside. Scoop a heaping teaspoon of dough and roll it with your fingers into a firm ball. Roll in powdered sugar, place on a baking sheet and lightly press in a center of a cookie with your thumb.
- Shape the remaining of cookies and bake for 14 minutes, rotating the pan from front to back halfway.
- Transfer to the wire rack to cool. Once the cookies are cool, you can sprinkle them with some more powdered sugar and top with lemon zest.
Notes
Nutrition
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Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
Tracy says
I needed cookies. I had no ordinary flour and no butter … but I did have almond flour, semolina, and unsweetened applesauce. A search on those ingredients brought me to these cookies. And, wow, they were delicious. Leftovers … hahahaha.
Iryna Bychkiv says
Tracy, thank you for your comment and 5-star rating! I'm so happy you liked these cookies!
Libby says
Hello! Do you use unsweetened apple sauce or one with sugar typically?
Iryna Bychkiv says
Unsweetened apple sauce.
Ilanah says
Hi, can I freeze the dough? I wanted to make the cookies ahead of time and bake the day of family gathering...
Thanks!
Iryna Bychkiv says
Yes, freezing the dough should be fine.
Emily says
I made these last night, and they were delicious! Thank you!
Iryna says
Emily, thank you so much for your comment and a 5-star rating! I'm happy you enjoyed these cookies:)
Kulia says
Really yummy! I love almond cookies.
Easyfoodsmith says
I have made coconut ghriba and I loved it. But I am totally sold out to these zesty ones. Going to make these soon 😀
Iryna says
Awesome! I hope you'll like them:)
Devon says
I might have missed it but I don’t see where you add the oil so I just didn’t add any when I made these. Is there a typo somewhere or did I miss it?
Iryna says
Hi Devon! My apologies, somehow I forgot to add oil to instructions. It's supposed to be added right before you add the flour. Please, let me know how the cookies turned out.
Devon says
I have now made them twice sans oil and they have been amazing! Thanks so much for the recipe.
Iryna says
Devon, I'm so glad the cookies turned out well and that you enjoyed them. Good to know they can be made without oil. Thank you for your sharing!