Hello my friends, today's repost, is a post that I'm very proud of. This shows up in the first page on google when you search for the word "Kahk". Of course you need to know what Kahk is to be searching for it from the first place :). For me learning rocket science was easier than making Kahk, but after making it the first time, fear walls was destroyed and I experimented with all sorts of filling. Kahk is a very special type of cookies for Egyptians both Muslims and Christians as it holds very dear and happy memories for most of us. Specially for those born in the 70s and the 80s, as we watched our mamas and grandmothers make it at home. I've done a revisit for this old post here with refined photos, but this good old post is still dear to my heart.
I hope you'll like this authentic Egyptian recipe. Enjoy!!
------------------------- Originally published on Dec 30th 2012 ------
Egyptian Eid Cookies or Kahk pronounced Ka-hk is a special dessert that is associated with happy occasions in the Egyptian traditions. These mouth watering cookies appear on the Egyptian Muslims' table yearly in Eid-el fitr that comes after Ramadan and bi-yealry on the Egyptian Christians' table in Christmas and Easter day. Also when a girl is married, her family packs the newly-wed pantry with this kind of cookies. It is said that these cookies have ancient origin as there are drawings in some of the Pharaonic temples illustrating the making of kahk. Images of the sun goddess were carved on the cookies , and we still do carve the top of these cookies. The word " kahk" means cookies or biscuit in Arabic language. This ritual extended to other Middle eastern countries but often made with semolina like " Ma'amoul" and stuffed with dates. Kahk is usually filled with Agameya (special honey filling) , walnuts, pistachios,lokoums, or simply left plain and covered with powdered sugar.
Check out the updated Kahk post with video here.
What you will need:
- 3 cups of all purpose flour.
- 1 ¼ cup of ghee.
- ⅓ cup of milk.
- 1 tablespoon of dry yeast.
- 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds. -optional.
For the Agameya filling :
- 2 Tbs of flour.
- 3 Tbs of ghee or butter.
- 1 cup of honey.
- 2 teaspoon of sesame seeds.
- 1 cup of coarse walnut.
To make the kahk:
- First melt the ghee until it starts to bubble and be very hot- keep an eye on it we do not want it to burn. In a deep dish - that can take the heat - put the flour and cinnamon mix well then make a well in which you put the sesame seeds then very carefully pour the hot ghee over little by little stirring with a wooden spoon.
- The mixture will be watery at first but keep stirring and leave it to cool down a little from 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile dissolve the sugar and dry yeast in the warm milk.
- When the flour mixture has cooled down, crumble it with your hands to make sure that the ghee and flour are totally in harmony. Add the milk and mix well with hands until it forms a nice dough. Leave it for an hour.
In this hour we will make the filling - agameya:
- Melt the butter or ghee in a pan then add the flour whisk vigorously until the mixture is golden. Take it away from the heat then add the sesame seeds and the honey and the walnuts. Return to a low heat and keep stirring until the mixture thickens well as above. Let it cool and form into small balls - hazelnut size.
- Take a piece of the dough, put the agameya ball in the middle and then roll it to form a ball then put it in a backing sheet and press slightly to flatten. You can buy the above wooden mold from any Middle eastern market and press the dough against to make this beautiful carving on the surface. I usually put a piece of film inside the mold to easily pop the dough out. If you can not find it rest assured you can just carve it by a fork or let it without carvings it will still taste yummy.
- Bake in a pre heated oven 350F for 15 minutes and broil until golden. Let it cool and keep in an air tight container.
- Coat with powdered sugar and serve with coffee or black tea.
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Madeleine O'Brien
Hi Amira, just a little note from Australia. I absolutely love your recipes. I was born in Egypt and migrated to Australia in 1956 and I recall the beautiful food from Egypt and i thank you for your recipes. You a great person and love your stories too.
Amira
Thank you so much Madeleine for your sweet comment and welcome here. If you crave any recipe from home let me know.
Zahra
Hi Sister Amira.
I have tried your pistachio kahk i must say its was very nice. We definitely enjoy it till the last crumb.
I have a couple of questions for you hope you can help me.
After the pistachio kahk i stumbled upon this kahk recipe. It has a completely different way of making the dough; which kahk recipe would you say is your favourite is it the above or the pistachio?
Second question: can you advice me how many grams should the sweet pistachio filling weight in each ball? As i think i had more dough n less filling in my cookies.
Last Can you try n weight your ingredients as the cups measurements are kind of misleading. Many many thanks and lots of appreciation for your hard work!
Amira
Zahra, thank you so much for your feedback, I am happy you liked the recipe. This recipe is the traditional one and it is made with hot ghee. Back in the old days, they used to make loads of kahk because they used to have big families so we are talking like 10kg or so. Plus they did not have refrigerators so they made it with hot ghee to make it last longer. Nowadays, most people make barely 1kg and it is usually all gone in a matter of one week especially around Eid time. My favorite is the pistachio because it has a lighter taste and it is actually easier to make.
For the pistachio balls, I am so sorry I forgot to weigh them. I promise you I will weigh everything nest time.
I started weighing everything in grams as I started getting more and more audience from outside the US, so sorry about that dear.
I hope this answers all your questions and thank you so much for trying the recipe.
Zahra
Thank you sooo much for the detailed answers x
Amira
You are welcome dear.
Mikey
Hey Amira! Great post, it's making me hungry! I've linked my website to you. Check it out here: https://michaeltindale.co.uk/2019/02/22/egypt/
Amira
Mikey, thank you for the link, I will check yours soon. Hope you'll have a chance to try this recipe.
Kate
Hi Amira, I just found this recipe after using your other kahk recipe for the first time.
Which recipe is more traditional in Egypt? I notice this one had milk and the other doesn't.
My husband also recalls kahk having a date filling? Or is this mahmoul?
I'm married to an Egyptian and have been loving tryinf your recipes!
Amira
Kate, the other recipe is more modern than this one. This one is the ones that my grandma would use and make but both are delicious. You can fill it up with dates as we did in ma'amoul it is up to you but I was brought up to either plain, filled with nuts, honey and nuts like this one and the other, or malban which is Turkish delight. Hope this helps.
Hannah
How many cookies does this recipe make?
Amira
Hannah, Thanks for your interest in the Kahk recipe, I hope you'll like it. Actually it depends on the size of the cookie itself. You can refere to this recipe here https://amiraspantry.com/kahk-eid-cookies-pistachios/ for a more accurate measurments and count. Thanks again and I hope this will help.
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Lovelybirds
Hi Amira, can I substitute the ghee with butter or crisco? If yes what is the amount? Thanks
Marie
Hi and thank you for sharing this great recipe. Could you tell us if the measurement for the Ghee (1 & 1/4 c.) is melted or solid. Thanks!
Amira
Marie, thanks for stopping by and sorry for being so late replying, I've been through a difficult time of grief. Anyway for the ghee it is not melted when you measure it so it is a cup and 1/4 of solid ghee. I hope this will help.
Sofia
I love kahk with a date filling. Do you know how to make that and if so can you please tell me? I would so appreciate it! Thank you!
Amira
Hi Sofia.. Do you mean Mamool? which is kahk but with semolina and date filling.
Toujan
Hi, thanks for the recipe. What happens if I replace ghee with butter or becel or shortening?
Amira
Hi Toujan, I'm glad you've asked this question. As far as I know, butter has a higher percentage of water than ghee so by adding butter instead of ghee you add more liquid to the recipe and it won't give you the same result.
Toujan
Oh I see. Many thanks for your response. I will try the recipe next Eid inshallah then!
Amira
You are more than welcome and thanks for visiting my blog. Eid Mubarak.
Kay
Amira, your recipes are all soooo delicious! Please continue your great work and enhancing my family's dinner table too. Teslam edek! 🙂 I have a request, could you maybe compile a list of dishes that is typical for Ramadan (and the fast breaking) since Ramadan is soon to come?
All the best, Kay