Ghriba — Algerian Butter Cookies

👨‍🍳 Method

To assemble

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

   ⚙ Preheating the OvenOven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
2. 2
   Whip the soft butter with the powdered sugar, to a smooth, airy cream.

   ⚙ WhippingBowlHand mixerorStand mixerorWhisk

   💡Cream the butter soft, at room temperature: cold butter doesn't take in air, and melted butter doesn't hold it.
3. 3
   Add the rose water and mix well.
4. 4
   Add the flour and salt and mix just until a dough forms.

   💡Mix in the flour only until a dough forms: long kneading develops gluten, and the cookies come out hard instead of crumbly.
5. 5
   Roll into balls the size of a walnut and place on the baking sheet, spaced apart.

   Baking pan
6. 6
   Flatten each ball lightly.
7. 7
   Press a whole almond in the center of each cookie.
8. 8
   Bake 20–22 minutes, until the edges turn slightly golden.

   ⚙ BakingOvenBaking pan

   💡Take the cookies out while they still look soft: they firm up as they cool, and long baking dries them out.

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
9. 9
   Cool completely on the pan: the cookies firm up as they cool.