There is a variety of cookies and pastries in Moroccan cuisine. These delicious anise cookies are often simply called “Moroccan cookies.” In my husband’s family they are called Savta Rahma’s cookies and whenever I make them the nostalgia brings everyone to tears. In fact, in the process of taste testing this recipe my husband said, “Wow, with these cookies and the Moroccan mint tea you brought me back to my grandma’s house.” In my opinion this is a combination to rival the popularity of peanut butter and jelly, but well, Middle Eastern style.
This recipe is great for beginners as the dough is very workable.
Ingredients
Servings 48 cookies
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- ¾ tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ tablespoon vanilla sugar
- 1 tablespoon anise seeds
- ½ cup canola oil
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons water
Nutritional Facts
Nutrition Facts
Moroccan Rifa Cookies
Amount per Serving
Calories
63
% Daily Value*
Fat
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
0.2
g
1
%
Trans Fat
0.01
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
2
g
Cholesterol
3
mg
1
%
Sodium
21
mg
1
%
Potassium
16
mg
0
%
Carbohydrates
9
g
3
%
Fiber
0.3
g
1
%
Sugar
2
g
2
%
Protein
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
9
IU
0
%
Vitamin C
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
14
mg
1
%
Iron
0.5
mg
3
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350℉.
- In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, vanilla sugar, anise seeds, canola oil, orange juice, egg and water. Knead until the dough has a tense and smooth consistency.
- Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until the dough is about ⅛ to ¼ of an inch thick.
- Using your favorite cookie cutter, cut shapes into the dough and remove the excess. The excess scraps can be pressed and rolled out again.Traditionally these cookies are shaped like rectangles. This recipe works also great for cookie presses, which traditionally my kids confiscate for their play kitchen.Don’t tell anyone, but when I’m short on time, I just form the dough into a large rectangle and cut it into smaller rectangles with a knife. Although it’s less aesthetic, nobody has complained yet.
- Move the shapes onto a parchment paper lined baking pan. The cookies should be spread out a thumb-sized distance as they increase in size. Put the sheet into the oven and bake until the cookies brown on the edges, about 15-17 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool down and enjoy them with hot mint tea!
