Tender, crumbly cookies filled with a spiced date paste perfumed with cardamom and rose water. These beloved Saudi sweets are the essential accompaniment to Arabic coffee at every gathering.
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Instructions
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1
Cream the softened butter with sugar until fluffy. Add the egg, milk, rose water, and cardamom, mixing until smooth.
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2
Sift flour with baking powder and fold into the wet mixture until a soft, pliable dough forms. Rest for 15 minutes.
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3
Prepare the filling by cooking dates with butter, cinnamon, and cardamom over low heat, mashing into a smooth paste. Cool completely.
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4
Roll the dough to 3mm thickness. Cut into 8cm circles. Place a teaspoon of date paste in the center of each circle.
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5
Fold the dough over the filling and seal the edges, pressing with a fork or using a kleicha mold to create decorative patterns.
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6
Place on lined baking sheets and bake at 180C for 15-18 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack before serving.
Did You Know?
During Eid, Saudi families exchange trays of homemade kleicha as gifts, and the quality of a household kleicha is a point of great pride.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- mixing bowl
- kleicha mold or fork
- baking sheets
- rolling pin
The Story Behind Kleicha
Kleicha are among the oldest known cookies in the world, with roots tracing back to ancient Mesopotamia where date-filled pastries were offered in temples. In Saudi Arabia, kleicha became deeply embedded in the culture of hospitality, served alongside gahwa (Arabic coffee) at every gathering, celebration, and Eid festival. The date filling connects the cookie to the Arabian Peninsula agricultural heritage, where date palms have been cultivated for thousands of years. Saudi families guard their kleicha recipes carefully, with subtle variations in spicing and dough texture distinguishing one family tradition from another.
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