Ghriba (غْرِيبَة) are traditional Moroccan almond cookies made with blanched almond flour, powdered sugar, and orange blossom water. The dough is shaped by hand, rolled in powdered sugar, and baked until chewy with a crackled top. They're naturally gluten-free and served with fresh mint tea during Ramadan and family gatherings.
Table of contents
What are ghriba cookies
Ghriba (also spelled Ghribia or Ghoriba bahla) are Moroccan cookies made from ground almonds. They are usually three types: almond (ghriba bahla, the softest), walnut (denser, earthier), and sesame (crunchier with toasted flavor). This recipe uses almonds, which most consider the classic.
The recipe is my family's version that comes from Northern Morocco. What makes it different from Fez or Marrakech styles is using apricot jam, our signature ingredient that adds moisture and balances the flavors.
The name ghriba comes from the Arabic "gharib," meaning "strange", probably referring to their unusual cracked appearance. In our family, we always joke that they look like cracked soil after a hot Moroccan summer.
Looking for more easy dessert recipes? Check out my all-time reader favorite Nutella Baklava Bracelets, this creamy Homemade Baklava Ice Cream or these naturally purple Chewy Ube Cookies.
Hanelore's Note
My Moroccan family taught me to make these cookies during Ramadan gatherings in Tetouan, in Northern Morocco. The trick my aunt showed me: your hands should be just damp enough that the dough doesn’t stick. What makes this version special is the use of apricot jam, which isn't common in other ghriba recipes.
What you need to make ghriba
- Almond flour – I recommend using blanched almond flour for the best texture. Do not use almond meal, because it’s not the same thing.
- Corn starch – Cornstarch absorbs the oils released from the almond flour during baking, which prevents the cookies from turning greasy. It also creates that signature crumbly-tender (not cakey) crumb.
- Apricot jam – adds a fruity flavor. Can be replaced with peach jam.
- Sugar – I recommend using powdered sugar for a smooth texture. It’s especially important to create the cracked look, as plain sugar won’t give the same effect.
- Orange blossom water – Use the brands from Middle Eastern grocery stores for the best quality. Regular supermarket versions can be weaker, so you’ll need up to 1 teaspoon instead of ½.
Ingredient Notes
- Which almond flour to use: Almond flour (finely ground blanched almonds, no skins) is different from almond meal (ground almonds with skins, coarser texture). Almond meal will darken your cookies and add a slight bitterness from the skins, so it's not suitable for this recipe. Look for "blanched" on the label, which means the skins have been removed.
- Why it needs cornstarch: I tested this recipe without corn starch and the cookies became oily on the bottom, and had a denser, almost macaroon-like chew instead of the characteristic crumbly-soft bite.
- Why apricot jam? Apricot jam is the secret ingredient high end bakeries in Morocco use to get the perfect texture. The jam adds moisture that keeps the cookies tender, with a subtle fruit sweetness.
How to make ghriba step by step
- In a large bowl, add all the ingredients. Use hands or wooden spoon to mix well. The texture should be sticky.
- Mix water and orange blossom water. Dip your hands in water, then take a teaspoon of cookie dough. Roll it between your palms to shape into a ball.
- Roll the cookie through powdered sugar, coating it evenly.
- Place on a cookie sheet and flatten to ½ inch. Bake at 170°C (340°F) for 15 minutes until edges are light golden while centers still look slightly underset, they firm up as they cool.
Testing Notes
At 170°C (340°F) fan-assisted, I tested batches at 12, 15, and 18 minutes.
- At 15 minutes, the edges turn light golden while centers still look slightly underdone and puffy. They will firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.
- At 12 minutes, they were too pale and under-crackled.
- At 18 minutes, they became dry and crumbly instead of chewy.
- The visual checkpoint: edges should be set and lightly golden, centers should still look slightly soft. Because of the high nut content, ghriba can go from perfect to overbaked quickly.
How to customize ghriba
- Citrus zest – Replace the lemon zest with orange zest for a more subtle flavor. You cannot use orange juice, because it will bake the cookie dough too soft and not add enough flavor.
- Jam swaps – Replace apricot jam with peach jam or orange marmalade.
- Rose water – Swap orange blossom water for rosewater.
- Semolina flour – Replace some almond flour with fine semolina for a less chewy, slightly drier cookie.
- Different nuts – Use ground walnuts, hazelnuts, or sesame seeds instead of almond flour for regional variations.
- Low sugar version – Use coconut sugar/monk fruit sweetener, although the cookies will brown more and crack less. You can also use erythritol sweetener instead of sugar. Ensure you use 1.5x more than the original recipe, as erythritol is less sweet.
Tips for getting it right
- Sticky dough – The dough is supposed to be quite sticky to get that perfect soft and crumbly texture. Do not add any extra dry ingredients, as it’ll make the cookies too crumbly.
- Wet hands technique – Because the dough is so sticky, the only way to handle these cookies is with wet palms. Make sure your hands are damp, but not soaking in water.
- Double-dip in sugar for better cracks – The powdered sugar coating creates the signature cracks because sugar melts and sets faster than the cookie surface. So the thicker the sugar coating, the more dramatic the cracks in your cookies.
- Bake to light golden, not brown – At 170°C (340°F) fan-assisted, 15 minutes is the sweet spot. Edges should be set and lightly golden while centers still look slightly underdone and puffy. They firm up as they cool.
Common questions
My favourite way of storing ghriba is in a cardboard box, wrapped in baking paper or aluminum foil. Store at room temperature for up to 2-3 weeks.
Yes, you can replace it with any other nut flour. I recommend using ½ almond and ½ walnut for a deeper nuttier flavor.
Since the dough is very sticky, using a cookie scoop won't work. Shaping ghriba by hand is the best way.
You can, but the flavor won't be as traditional. If you don't have orange blossom, you can also use rosewater. Alternatively, add ½ teaspoon orange extract.
Absolutely. You can prepare them 4-5 days in advance and store them at room temperature in an airtight container.
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Recipe
Ghriba Moroccan Cookies with Almond Flour (Ghoriba)
Ingredients
For the cookie dough
- 1 ⅓ cups almond flour* (225 grams)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch (20 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (5 grams)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (50 grams)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted (30 grams)
- 2 medium egg whites, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon apricot jam* (15 grams)
- zest of ½ lemon
For dipping & coating
- ½ teaspoon orange blossom water*
- ½ cup powdered sugar, for dusting (100 grams)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 360℉ (180℃) fan-assisted and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, sift the almond flour, cornstarch, powdered sugar and baking powder. Mix well to combine evenly.
- Add in the egg whites, cooled melted butter, apricot jam and zest of ½ lemon. Using your hands to mix everything until a smooth and sticky cookie dough forms.
- In a separate small bowl and ½ cup water add and orange blossom water. Dip your hands in the fragrant water; the palms should be damp, not soaking. This prevents the cookie dough from sticking to your hands.
- Scoop up one generous tablespoon of the cookie dough, then roll it between your palms to form a round ball. Repeat the process for the remaining dough to make around 14-15 cookies.
- Roll cookies through powdered sugar to generously coat with an even layer of sugar.
- Place the Moroccan cookies a lined baking tray, then with your fingers press on the top to gently flatten them to about ½ inch thickness.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until golden on the edges. Once baked, allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
Notes
- Ensure you use blanched fine almond flour, not almond meal. Use a mesh sieve to sift almond flour and discard large pieces before using.
- Orange blossom water can be replaced with rosewater or orange extract. Alternatively, use vanilla extract.
- Apricot jam can be replaced with peach jam or orange marmalade.
- Nutritional value is estimative only and is calculated per cookie, without any additional toppings (this recipe makes 15 cookies).
- I recommend using a kitchen scale and grams for this recipe for higher accuracy.
- Store: once fully cooled, transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2-3 weeks.
Nutrition
About The Author
Hanelore is the creator of SugarYums and winner of Netflix show Crazy Delicious. She shares delicious Korean street food, East Asian desserts, and playful fusion recipes that bring global flavours to everyday kitchens. Inspired by the food markets of Seoul and beyond, Han combines tradition with creativity to make cooking feel bold, cozy, and fun!
Salma says
These are so good! I had Moroccan cookies many years ago on a trip to Marrakech and these tasted just like how I remembered.
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Thank you and I'm so glad you enjoyed them, Salma! They're my absolute favourite almond cookies ever!
Munira says
What a yummy and easy recipe! And no compromise on taste! A long time ago I visited a Moroccan family and they made these with Mint tea. Ever since I have always wanted to make my own so thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Hi Munira, I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! My in-laws always make these cookies for tea, they're such a treat! 💗
Kirsten Campbell says
I very rarely make comments but these deserve a special mention! I am always on the hunt for GF recipes that my mum can eat and the rest of the gluten-eating family can enjoy. These were an absolute winner. The only downside is I will need to make more next time as the batch is relatively small for a family 🙂
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Hi Kirsten, I'm so so happy to hear you and your family enjoyed the cookies, and yaaay that your mum could enjoy them too! I always make them in bigger batches too because they just fly off the plate immediately! If you have some leftovers, they're good at room temperature for up to 1-2 weeks, or 3 months in the freezer.
Thanks for dropping by and happy baking! x
Kirsten Campbell says
I forgot to rate them!
Jrists says
Just made these and we could hardly wait for them to cool down - they smelled so good baking! They are very easy to make and delicious. I made them as per the recipe but next time I think I'll cook them for a shorter time as they were a bit too brown so I would suggest keeping an eye on them.
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Yaaay, I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Gotta admit, we always eat half of the batch whilst still hot because they're so good!!
Bedelia/Jan Urbaniak says
I can't wait to make this recipe for my granddaughter who is celiac. Thank you for sharing
Hanelore Dumitrache says
My pleasure, and I really hope your granddaughter enjoys the cookies!
LL says
Presentation was perfect. Made these for company but personally, I’d actually like them a little sweeter.
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Hi, so glad you've enjoyed these cookies! You can always make them a little sweeter by either adding more sugar in the cookie dough or rolling them through more powdered sugar before eating 🙂
Jenny says
These cookies turned out wonderful! Although, they’re supposed to have a crunch on the outside and be soft on the inside. I stored them in a tight container overnight, and the crispiness on the outside is gone. Is everyone else experiencing the same loss in crisp? The almond flour does hold a lot of moisture and that could be why. Any tips?
Hanelore Dumitrache says
Hi Jenny, so glad to hear the cookies came out well! You're right, the cookies generally soften over time. If you like them crunchier, you can try the following:
1. Bake longer by 1-2 minutes, then store them in a container but don't fully seal the lid.
2. This is how they're stored in Morocco: place them in a food-safe cardboard box and loosely cover with aluminium foil. Really helps keeping them on the crunchier side.
Hope this helps,
Han x