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Makroud el louse are flourless Algerian cookies consisting of almonds, eggs, sugar, and a flavoring of orange flower water. Baked until lightly browned, these cookies are typically tossed in powdered sugar in order to be completely coated. Once consumed, makroud el louse should melt in the mouth.
It is recommended to serve these cookies with a cup of tea or coffee on the side.
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These crescent-shaped cookies are usually associated with Morocco, but they can be found throughout Algeria and Tunisia in slightly different forms and under various names. Their name translates as gazelle ankles, but they are better known as gazelle horns.
They consist of a thin pastry shell that is wrapped around a sweet cinnamon-flavored almond filling. Both filling and the pastry dough are typically enriched with orange blossom water. The cookies can be coated in crushed nuts or optionally dipped in orange blossom water and then dusted with sugar, in which case they are typically referred as kaab el ghazal m'fenned.
Ma'amoul is an ancient cookie filled with fruits and nuts such as dates, walnuts, and pistachios. The cookies are traditionally prepared for Easter, festivals, and celebrations, and they are typically shaped into balls or domes. In order to differentiate the cookies, the walnut version is usually shaped into a dome with a round top, the date ma'amoul is shaped into a dome with a flat top, while the pistachio ma'amoul has an elongated, oval shape.
It is not uncommon for the cookies to be topped with powdered sugar for extra sweetness, and they are often served with coffee or tea during the day in many Middle Eastern households.
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Bradj, also known as mbardja, mteqba, or mbarja, is a traditional diamond-shaped pastry from the northeast, traditional consumed in Constantinois, Jijel, Bibans, and Kabylie region. This diamond-shaped delicacy consists of two layers of semolina dough (kesra) filled with a date paste (ghers).
The preparation starts with a dough of semolina mixed with oil, water, and salt, which is then shaped, filled, and cooked on a griddle or heavy pan. It is often flavored with cinnamon and sometimes cloves. Bradj is typically prepared in spring and served with leben, rayeb, or mint tea.
These traditional Moroccan twice-baked cookies come in both sweet and savory versions. They are prepared with shortbread or yeasted dough that is usually enriched with orange blossom water, aniseed, or citrus zest, as well as toasted nuts and dried fruit such as almonds, walnuts, raisins, pistachios, or sesame seeds.
Often dubbed as the Moroccan biscotti, these crunchy treats are best paired with tea or coffee.
Ghoriba are traditional Middle Eastern cookies that come in a few varieties – some can be chewy, while others have a shortbread-like, crumbly texture. The cookies are traditionally shaped into balls or disks, and often have characteristical cracks across their surface.
Ghoriba cookies usually consist of flour, sugar, butter, and almonds. It is recommended to serve them with a cup of tea or coffee on the side.
These tiny Moroccan cookies are prepared with a shortbread dough that is usually enriched with aniseed and toasted sesame seeds. The cookies are usually associated with Ashura festival—the tenth day of the first month of the Islamic calendar.
On that occasion, they are typically served with a variety of dry fruits and nuts. The cookies are also prepared for other festivities and can be enjoyed as an everyday snack that best pairs with coffee or tea.
Kaak malih are savory Libyan cookies consisting of flour, baking powder, oil, butter, milk, and salt. The dough, which is either braided or shaped into rings, is often decorated with sesame seeds before baking. Once baked and golden-brown, these light cookies are typically served as an accompaniment to Arabic coffee or tea.
Hertzoggies are South African cookies consisting of light and puffy pastry tarts filled with apricot jam meringue. The crust is made with flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, nutmeg, butter, and egg yolks, while the filling contains apricot jam, sugar, beaten egg whites, and desiccated coconut.
These delectable cookies are named after General J. B. M. Hertzog, who was Prime Minister of South Africa from 1924 to 1939. In the country, hertzoggies are usually served with a cup of English tea on the side.
Ful sudani are traditional cookies originating from Sudan. These macaroons are usually made with a combination of egg whites, salt, sugar, vanilla, and peanuts. The peanuts are roasted, their skin is removed, and they're ground until grainy. Vanilla is mixed with the peanuts, egg whites, icing sugar, and salt.
Spoonfuls of the batter are placed on a baking sheet, and the cookies are baked until slightly puffy and lightly colored (not browned). It's recommended to serve them alongside some cinnamon tea for the best experience.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 11 African Cookies” list until March 21, 2025, 1,266 ratings were recorded, of which 224 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.