Semolina Coconut Cookies - Coconut Ghriba

How to Make

• Step 1: If you are using dried coconut that is coarsely chopped, place it in the food processor and mix until you get dried coconut with a very fine texture.

• Step 2: Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl: finely shredded dried coconut, semolina (or almond meal), baking powder, and pinch of salt.

• Step 3: Using an egg beater, beat the egg with the sugar until you get a whitish mixture.

• Step 4: Add the vanilla extract and continue beating for another 30 seconds.

• Step 5: Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, and using your hands, mix all the ingredients until well incorporated. Add the vegetable oil.

• Step 6: Cover the bowl containing the dough with a plastic wrap and let rest on your kitchen counter for 30 minutes.

• Shaping and Baking the Cookies

• Step 7: Preheat your oven to 350 F (180 C).

• Step 8: Cover a baking pan with parchment paper.

• Step 9: To shape the cookies, wet your hand with a little bit of orange blossom water (or just water), take some of the coconut dough and make a ball the size of a walnut, roll the dough ball in powdered sugar, pad the coconut ball a bit to flatten it, then place it on the baking pan.

• Step 10: Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Do not overbake or the cookies will become hard when they cool down.

• Step 11: Once the cookies are done, remove from the oven, and let cool down on the baking pan (do not move them, or they would break! the cookies are soft when they are still hot).

• Step 12: Let the cookies cool down before moving them to a plate. Dust them with powdered sugar before serving.