Lebanese Ghraybeh Shortbread Cookies

4.70 from 10 votes

Melt in your mouth cookies that are made with just 3 simple ingredients. They are not too sweet, so buttery and have an amazing texture to them.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Lebanese

Servings: cookies

Preheat oven to 350 F
Make your dough: In a stand mixer, mix the ghee, powdered sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract on low speed about a minute.
Flour: Add in the sifted flower gradually and mix on low speed for about 30-1 minute until very well combined. At first it will look dry, but as it mixes, it will start holding up together to form a pasty dough. Scrape the sides to ensure everything is getting mixed well. Do not over mix. Continue to knead with hand to collect the dough together and add more flour if needed, up to 1/2 extra.
Cool: Optional, Transfer the dough to a zip lock bag or wrap with saran wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Depends on the environment you are working in.
Form Balls: Use a small cookie scoop to portion the cookies and form into 1.5 inch balls. Slightly press down just a bit to flatten it a little and place on the baking sheet.
Indent: Press the middle softly with your finger to form a small indent and add the piece of pistachio on top. If you decide to use Jam, make a deeper thumb print indent and add in the jam.
Bake: These cookies bake at a low temperature heat of 350 F for 15 minutes until the side get a slight golden color. The cookies will not change color or become golden brown. They stay white. To know if they are done, they will feel firm to touch and leave a dough residue on your finger.
Cool: Let them completely cool at room temperature before serving.

Use to sift the dry ingredients to have the perfect texture for these cookies.
Use more flour if needed to obtain a non stick consistency, because all flours are different.
No chilling is necessary but you can always chill the dough for 20 minutes before forming the balls if the temperature is too warm in your kitchen.
At first the dough will look dry, but as it mixes, it will start holding up together to form a pasty dough. Scrape the sides to ensure everything is getting mixed well.
Either divide the dough by forming a log and cutting into even sized pieces or use a small spring release cookie scooper.
Baking time will depend on the size of your cookies if you make them bigger than 1.5 inch balls. Be sure to use a small cookie scooper to make 1.5 inch size portions and have all cookies at the same size to bake evenly.
Cool completely before serving.
Do not wait for the cookies to get brown or else they will become too dry and you will loose the soft, buttery texture. It needs to stay white.
If you have nut allergies, replace the pistachios with jam or make them plain.
Mix the dough on low speed only and do not overmix more than the time states