Cookieeeeesssss yum yum. I don’t make cookies so often, but I actually love a good cookie and if I find a place that makes a decent cookie, I will certainly cheat a bit and have one or two. It is a tradition to make different types of cookies for Eid (the Muslim holiday) and distribute these cookies to friends, family and neighbors during the Eid days. Every region has its own Eid cookies and as a little girl I recall the days before Eid when everyone was busy baking cookies.

When I had a family of my own, I did that too, but somehow life happened and I stopped, not finding the energy to keep up. Both because my health did not allow it but also because I did not want to add to the amount of sugar consumed during Eid by having a lot of cookies in the house. I remember one Eid, some years ago, I tried to change some recipes to make a heathier version of them. Unfortunately, it was before I had the blog and I did not write anything down.

As long as I remember I have loved the Arabic Eid cookie made in the Levant area called Kaak and Ma’ruta, it has lots of flavor from: fennel, anise, nigella, dates and my favorite: sesame seeds. It is a very simple cookie with lot of flavors and a great taste. So, when I fell over a recipe of a Moroccan version of Kaak (without dates) I thought I would try making a grain and refined sugar free version.

The original recipe is from a Moroccan/Norwegian Instagram food blogger (@food___passion), you should definitely check her account out for original Moroccan food. I decided to alter the sugar and use coconut palm sugar, it has a deep color and taste that goes well with the spices and it affects the blood sugar less than refined sugar. With regards to sugary food, it should always be taken into consideration that a cookie is a cookie, and it should not be consumed in large amounts – this also goes for the healthier versions. Always eat sweets in moderation to take care of your body.

Replacing flour with something grain free can be difficult because flour is tasteless and has this ability to make things fluffy. I decided to try with buckwheat flour, it has its own taste but mixed with the spices I thought it would not be a problem.

So how did the cookies turn out? Actually, surprisingly good with the lovely taste of spices blending quite well with the coconut palm sugar and the buckwheat flour. I would consider filling them with dates another time, that would really be nice. It is also worth trying to use almond flour, at least substituting some of the buckwheat flour with almond flour.

I will be looking forward to enjoying them this Eid, knowing they are a healthier for my body. I will most certainly also enjoy other sweets, because that is life for me: enjoying life also entails having foods not so good for your body – in moderation, it is called: balance.

I hope you will try these cookies and let me know what you think, please share on social media – I would love seeing your version.

Kaak Eid Cookies:

Makes approximately 25 pieces (depending on how large you make them).

Ingredients:

2 eggs

100 g coconut palm sugar

100 g sesame seeds

35 g kaak spice mix (A blend of: fennel, anis and nutmeg. I get mine in the ethnic stores)

1 tea spoon vanilla powder (or liquid)

1 tea spoon baking powder

225-250 g buckwheat flour

50 g butter (soft)

Nigella seeds to decorate if you like (you can choose to brush the cookies with a lightly whipped egg before you sprinkle the seeds over).

Directions:

1. Mix the eggs with the sugar.
2. Add the sesame seeds, spices, vanilla, baking powder and some of the flour. Mix well.
3. Add the butter and knead the dough with your hand (a stand mixer can also be used).
4. Add more flour, little by little, until you have a smooth and cohesive dough.
5. Turn your oven on to 180°C and allow the dough to rest in the fridge 15-20 min.
6. Cover a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
7. Divide the dough into small balls and roll it with your hand to form a long shape. Using a sharp knife make a small notch in the dough all the way along the piece and then form a ring by gathering the ends. The cookie should be around 7 cm in diameter, but you can make them the size you wish.
8. Sprinkle with nigella seeds if you wish (I made some with and some without).
9. Bake for approximately 15 min, check the bottom of the cookie after 10 min so they do not overcook. The time needed depends on the size of your cookie and your oven.
10. Enjoy your cookies with some nice herbal tea and good company.