Qurabiya (), also ghraybe, ghorayeba, ghoriba, ghribia, ghraïba, gurabija, ghriyyaba, kurabiye, or kourabiedes () and numerous other spellings and pronunciations, is a

shortbread Shortbread or shortie is a traditional Scottish biscuit usually made from one part sugar, white sugar, two parts butter and three to four parts plain flour, plain wheat flour. Shortbread does not contain leavening, such as baking powder or bakin ...

-type biscuit, usually made with ground almonds. Versions are found in most

Arab Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...

Balkan The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...

and Ottoman cuisines, with various different forms and recipes. They are similar to polvorones from

Andalusia Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomou ...

. In the

Maghreb The Maghreb (; ), also known as the Arab Maghreb () and Northwest Africa, is the western part of the Arab world. The region comprises western and central North Africa, including Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia. The Maghreb al ...

and

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

, they are often served with

Libyan tea Libyan tea is a strong beverage, prepared with traditional set of Stainless steel, stainless utensils and served in a small glass cups. It is a variant of Maghrebi tea and similar to it in prepared by boiling loose tea leaves but differ in presentat ...

Arabic coffee Arabic coffee, also called Qahwa (), is a version of the brewed coffee of ''Coffea arabica'' beans. Most Arab countries throughout the Middle East have developed distinct methods for brewing and preparing coffee. Cardamom is an often-added spice ...

Maghrebi mint tea Maghrebi mint tea (Maghrebi Arabic: , ''atay''; ), also known as Moroccan mint tea and Tunisian mint tea or Algerian mint tea, is a North African preparation of gunpowder green tea with spearmint leaves and sugar. It is traditional to the Grea ...

History

A recipe for a shortbread cookie similar to ghorayebah but without almonds, called in Arabic (exotic cookie), is given in the earliest known Arab cookbook, the 10th-century '' Kitab al-Ṭabīḫ''. ''Kurabiye'' appears in the

Ottoman cuisine Ottoman cuisine is the cuisine of the Ottoman Empire and its continuation in the cuisines of Greece, Turkey, the Balkans, Caucasus, Middle East and Northern Africa. Sources The Ottoman palace kitchen registers (''matbah-i amire defterleri'') ...

in the 15th century. There is some debate about the origin of the words. Some give no other origin for the Turkish word ''kurabiye'' than Turkish, while others have given Arabic or Persian. Among others, linguist

Sevan Nişanyan Sevan Nişanyan (; born 21 December 1956) is a Turkish-Armenian writer, fugitive and lexicographer. Author of a number of books, Nişanyan was awarded the Ayşe Nur Zarakolu Liberty Award of the Turkish Human Rights Association in 2004 for his con ...

has given an Arabic origin, in his 2009 book of Turkish etymology, from ' or ' (exotic). However, as of 2019, Nişanyan's online dictionary now gives the earliest known recorded use in Turkish as the late 17th century, with an origin from the

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

', a cookie made with

rose water Rose water, or rosewater, is a flavoured water created by steeping rose petals in water. It is typically made as a by-product during the distillation of rose petals to create rose oil for perfumes. Rose water is widely utilized to flavour cu ...

, from ', related to flowers. He notes that the Syrian Arabic words ''/'' likely derive from the Turkish.

Regional variations

Crimea

Crimean Tatars (indigenous people of Crimea) call cookies "khurabie" (qurabiye, qurabye, къурабье, къурабие). The Crimean Tatar "kurabye" has many forms, but basically it looks like a rhombus, or a combination of two or three rhombuses to form a flower, or it is cut in the shape of a crescent. Crimean Tatars prepare kurabye as follows: powdered sugar is mixed with ghee, and then flour is added. The finished "khurabye" is completely sprinkled with powdered sugar on all sides.

Albania

''Gurabija''

Algeria

''Ghribia'' () * ''Ghribia'' with Almond, almonds * ''Ghribia'' with

peanut The peanut (''Arachis hypogaea''), also known as the groundnut, goober (US), goober pea, pindar (US) or monkey nut (UK), is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics by small and large ...

s * ''Ghribia'' with

walnuts A walnut is the edible seed of any tree of the genus ''Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. They are accessory fruit because the outer covering of the fruit is technically an invo ...

* ''Ghribia'' with

pistachios The pistachio (, ; ''Pistacia vera'') is a small to medium-sized tree of the Anacardiaceae, cashew family, originating in Iran. The tree produces nut (fruit)#Culinary definition and uses, seeds that are widely consumed as food. In 2022, world ...

Armenia

''Khourabia'' () is the Armenian version sometimes referred to in English as Armenian butter cookie or Armenian shortbread cookie. ''Khourabia'' was traditionally made with three ingredients: butter, sugar, and flour and usually shaped like bread, wheat ear, or horse shoe signifying health, wealth, and prosperity. It was mostly eaten during the

Easter Easter, also called Pascha ( Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in t ...

, Christmas and new year celebrations. Later, more ingredients were added, like eggs, cinnamon, and walnuts.

Bulgaria

''Kurabii'', name of the Bulgarian cuisine and the many varieties of cookie, a popular sweet variety. Especially during the holiday season, and a variety of jams produced via the new year with powdered sugar cookies decorated with cute shapes are called "''maslenki''".

Greece and Cyprus

The Greek version, called "''kourabiedes''" or "''kourabiethes''" (; plural of ''kourabies'' ), resembles a light

, typically made with almonds. ''Kourabiedes'' are sometimes made with

brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured ...

, usually

Metaxa Metaxa () is a line of branded Greek alcoholic drinks, each a flavored amber blend of spirits and Muscat wine, aged in oak barrels, and packaged in amphora-shaped bottles. Several Metaxa products have numbered “star” designations indicating ...

, for flavouring, though

vanilla Vanilla is a spice derived from orchids of the genus ''Vanilla (genus), Vanilla'', primarily obtained from pods of the flat-leaved vanilla (''Vanilla planifolia, V. planifolia''). ''Vanilla'' is not Autogamy, autogamous, so pollination ...

mastika Mastika or mastiha is a liqueur seasoned with mastic, a resin with a slightly pine or cedar-like flavor gathered from the mastic tree, a small evergreen tree native to the Mediterranean region. In Greece, mastiha () or mastichato () is a sweet ...

are also popular. In some regions of Greece,

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a Religion, religious and Culture, cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by coun ...

''kourabiedes'' are adorned with a single whole spice

clove Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands, or Moluccas, in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring, or Aroma compound, fragrance in fin ...

embedded in each biscuit. ''Kourabiedes'' are shaped either into crescents or balls, then baked till slightly golden. They are usually rolled in icing sugar while still hot, forming a rich butter-sugar coating. ''Kourabiedes'' are popular for special occasions, such as Christmas or

baptism Baptism (from ) is a Christians, Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by aspersion, sprinkling or affusion, pouring water on the head, or by immersion baptism, immersing in water eit ...

s. The Greek word "" comes from the Turkish word ''kurabiye'', which is related to qurabiya, a family of Middle Eastern cookies. In Cyprus, they are often given as gifts to wedding attendees after the ceremony.

Iran

Tabriz Tabriz (; ) is a city in the Central District (Tabriz County), Central District of Tabriz County, in the East Azerbaijan province, East Azerbaijan province of northwestern Iran. It serves as capital of the province, the county, and the distric ...

, Qurabiyas are made of

almond flour Almond meal, almond flour or ground almond is made from ground sweet almonds. Almond flour is usually made with blanched almonds (no skin), whereas almond meal can be made with whole or blanched almonds. The consistency is more like corn meal t ...

, sugar,

egg white Egg white is the clear liquid (also called the albumen or the glair/glaire) contained within an egg. In chickens, it is formed from the layers of secretions of the anterior section of the hen's oviduct during the passage of the egg. It forms a ...

margarine Margarine (, also , ) is a Spread (food), spread used for flavoring, baking, and cooking. It is most often used as a substitute for butter. Although originally made from animal fats, most margarine consumed today is made from vegetable oil. The ...

and a topping of coarsely crushed

pistachio The pistachio (, ; ''Pistacia vera'') is a small to medium-sized tree of the Anacardiaceae, cashew family, originating in Iran. The tree produces nut (fruit)#Culinary definition and uses, seeds that are widely consumed as food. In 2022, world ...

and almond. It is served by itself or with tea, customarily placed on top of the teacup to make it soft before eating.

Kuwait

Variants including: * Ghoriba with

Cardamom Cardamom (), sometimes cardamon or cardamum, is a spice made from the seeds of several plants in the genus (biology), genera ''Elettaria'' and ''Amomum'' in the family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to the Indian subcontinent and Indon ...

* Ghoriba with

saffron Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of '' Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent ...

Levant

* Ghoriba with

Rose water Rose water, or rosewater, is a flavoured water created by steeping rose petals in water. It is typically made as a by-product during the distillation of rose petals to create rose oil for perfumes. Rose water is widely utilized to flavour cu ...

Libya

Ghraïba

Libyan Arabic Libyan Arabic (), also called Sulaimitian Arabic by scholars, is a variety of Arabic spoken in Libya, and neighboring countries. It can be divided into two major dialect areas: the eastern centred in Benghazi and Bayda, and the western centre ...

translation : , غريبة * Ghoriba with peanuts * Ghoriba with almonds *Ghoriba with walnuts

Morocco

Ghoriba (

Moroccan Arabic Moroccan Arabic ( ), also known as Darija ( or ), is the dialectal, vernacular form or forms of Arabic spoken in Morocco. It is part of the Maghrebi Arabic dialect continuum and as such is mutually intelligible to some extent with Algerian ...

: ) in Morocco and other parts of the

, the popular cookies often use

semolina Semolina is the name given to roughly milled durum wheat mainly used in making pasta and sweet puddings. The term ''semolina'' is also used to designate coarse millings of other varieties of wheat, and sometimes other grains (such as rice or ma ...

instead of white flour, giving a distinctive crunch. the original Ghriba is made from flour and flavored with lemon or orange zest and cinnamon, this sweet is usually served at parties, accompanied by mint tea or coffee. * Mlouwza, made with almonds and sugar flavored with

orange flower water Orange flower Orange flower water, or orange blossom water, is a clear aromatic by-product of the distillation of fresh bitter-orange blossoms for their essential oil. Uses This essential water has traditionally been used as an aromatizer i ...

* Ghoriba bahla * Ghoriba dyal zite * Ghoriba mramla

Saudi Arabia

Ghurēba / Ghrēba (Arabic: ), variants include: * Ghurēba with pistachio * Ghurēba with almonds * Ghurēba with cardamom

Turkey

The word ''kurabiye'' is used to refer to a variety of

biscuits A biscuit is a Flour, flour-based baked food item. Biscuits are typically hard, flat, and Unleavened bread, unleavened. They are usually sweet and may be made with sugar, chocolate, icing (food), icing, jam, ginger, or cinnamon. They can also ...

in Turkey, not necessarily local ones, although various types of local ''kurabiye'' are made; including ''

acıbadem kurabiyesi Acıbadem kurabiyesi () is a traditional Turkish biscuit made of almonds, sugar and egg whites. The traditional recipes include a small amount of bitter almonds, which gives this cookie its name. However, because bitter almonds are not readily ...

'' and ''un kurabiyesi''.

Tunisia

Ghraïba () * Ghraïba bidha, made with

wheat flour Wheat flour is a powder made from the grinding of common wheat used for human consumption. Wheat varieties are called "soft" or "weak" if gluten content is low, and are called "hard" or "strong" if they have high gluten content. Hard flour, or ...

* Ghraïba droô, made with

sorghum ''Sorghum bicolor'', commonly called sorghum () and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a species in the Poaceae, grass genus ''Sorghum (genus), Sorghum'' cultivated for its grain. The grain i ...

flour * Ghraïba homs, made with

chickpea flour Besan or gram flour is a pulse flour made from chana dal or chickpea flour (split Bengal gram) or brown/ ''kaala chana'', a chickpea. It is a staple ingredient in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, including Indian, Bangladeshi, Burmese, ...

References

{{Nut confections Almond cookies Azerbaijani desserts Bosnia and Herzegovina cuisine Bulgarian desserts Christmas food Iranian desserts Saudi Arabian desserts Shortbread Tabriz cuisine Armenian desserts Turkish desserts Arab desserts