Lebanese Easter Cookies

These cookies are made in my mom's home village of Baalbek, in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, a week before Easter. They are such a hit, everyone asks for the recipe. They taste good and they're not hard to prepare, especially if you add the right ingredients.

• Preparation Time: 2 hr
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 198 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 cup water
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 4 cups white sugar
• 8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 ½ pounds butter
• ¼ cup rose water
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ¼ cup black sesame seeds
• 9 cups semolina flour
• 1 ½ tablespoons quick rise yeast
• 1 teaspoon ground mahleb
• ¼ cup orange flower water

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in sugar and water; continue stirring to dissolve sugar. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Step 2

Measure flours into a large bowl. Add melted butter, yeast, spices, and sesame seeds; stir slowly for about 10 minutes to thoroughly blend ingredients. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave dough in bowl to rest for 1 hour.

Step 3

Prepare 3 baking sheets with cooking spray or parchment paper. In a small bowl, pour the rose water and orange flower water. Pour the warm water in to a second small bowl. Working on a floured board, pull off about 1 cup of dough. Dip your fingers first in the warm water and knead the dough a few minutes; then dip the dough in the flower water and knead it again until the dough is soft and pliable.

Step 4

Use the palm of your hand to roll the ball of dough into a rope 12 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Cut the rope in half and make a wreath-shaped cookie with each one, pinching the ends together. Place on a baking sheet. When you have filled a baking sheet, cover the cookies with a clean towel and refrigerate overnight to rest the dough.

Step 5

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove baking sheets from the refrigerator to warm up while the oven preheats. Bake cookies in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.