Kaak — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Crisp, ring-shaped cookies coated in sesame seeds with a subtle anise flavor. These traditional Libyan tea cookies are the perfect crunchy companion to a glass of sweet mint tea.

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp anise seeds, ground
1/2 tsp mahlab (optional)
Pinch of salt
Warm water to bind
1 cup sesame seeds for coating
1 egg for egg wash

Instructions

1 Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, ground anise, mahlab, and salt in a bowl.
2 Add melted butter and oil, rubbing into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
3 Add warm water gradually until a firm, smooth dough forms. Rest 10 minutes.
4 Pinch off walnut-sized pieces, roll into ropes about 12cm long, and join ends to form rings.
5 Brush with egg wash and roll in sesame seeds until fully coated on all sides.
6 Bake at 180C for 18-20 minutes until golden and firm. Cool completely before serving.

Did You Know?

Libyan kaak are baked in such enormous batches during holidays that families store them in pillowcases, and they stay crisp for weeks.