Kahk Egyptian Cookies Recipe
Kahk is a middle eastern dessert that originated in Egypt as far back as the time of the Pharoahs. There are tombs engraved with depictions of women making Kahk. They are baked in a round shape to mimick the shape of the sun. Women bake Kahk as snacks for guests, to celebrate feasts, and to offer the gods, in the olden days. Baking kahk is a tradition that has been passed down generations and adopted throughout the surrounding countries including the Sudan and South Sudan. Traditionally, Kahk is made of semolina flour, stuffed with ground dates, ground pistachios or walnuts. Every Kahk is molded into a circular shape with geometric designs.
Muslims make Kahk to celebrate Eid al Fitr at the end of Ramadan, and to celebrate Eid al Adha and many happy occasions. Christians make Kahk to celebrate Christmas and Easter and weddings and many happy occasions. If you grow up eating Kahk, you don’t need a holiday to eat Kahk; you bake them and eat them any day.
Recipe for Kahk, Egyptian Cookies
The recipe starts out with ghee. We use yeast as the leavening agent. To get that extra crunch, roasted sesame seeds are mixed in with the dough. Rehet al kahk, literally translates to the smell of the kahk. That is a mix of mahlab, (ground seeds of cherry), anise and fennel that gives the kahk it’s nice aroma. Additional spices to create the Kahk aroma are ground cinnamon and ground cloves.
Ingredients for Kahk. Back row: flour, roasted sesame seeds, sugar, ghee. Front row: pressed dates, yeast, Mahlab, anise and fennel mix.
Ingredients:
3 cups of ghee, melted and warm
6.5 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
Roasted sesame seeds: dry roast 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds for 10 minutes
1.5 tablespoons of yeast, instant
Pitted pressed dates called agwa. Roll into oval shapes for the filling.
Rehet al kahk: Mix of 1 teaspoons of ground mahlab, 1 teaspoon of ground anise and 1 teaspoon of ground fennel.
Icing sugar, for sprinkling over finished Kahk.
Pitted pressed dates, stuffing for Kahk.
Pitted pressed dates, rolled into balls. Stuffing for Kahk.
How to make Kahk
1. In a large metal or glass bowl mix: the flour, sugar, salt, roasted sesame seeds, and rehet al kahk.
2. Warm the ghee and add to the flour. Use a wooden spoon to mix the dough. Allow to cool for 15minutes.
3. Add the yeast and mix. The dough has to be cool when we add the yeast or else it will become deactivated.
4. Add milk. Mix with wooden spoon, or you may knead the dough using your hands. Cover and place in cool place for 1 hour to rise.
5. Obtain pressed pitted dates called agwa. Remove portions and hand roll into oval shapes. Keep covered for use as date filling.
6. Now roll the dough and stuff with date filling. Remove portions of dough about 1 tablespoon or larger size, roll into a ball shape, make a dip in the middle with your thumb, and place the date ball in the middle. Cover completely with dough, refer to photos below. Place in Kahk mold to create the design, then turn and smack gently onto a wooden board, leaving the geometric mold design on top. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet.
7. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, until the bottom turns a golden color. Remove. Allow to cool. Dust with icing sugar. Enjoy.
How to make kahk with date stuffing
Making Kahk with date stuffing. Mold dough to completely cover the date filling.
Kahk molds.
Tray of kahk filled with dates, molded designs, ready to bake.
- 3 cups ghee, melted and warm
- 6.5 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds. Dry roast 3 tablespoons sesame seeds for ten minutes.
- 1.5 tablespoons yeast, instant
- 1 cup milk
- Rehet al kahk: 1 teaspoon each of ground mahlab, anise and fennel (total 3 teaspoons)
- Agwa filling: pitted pressed dates filling. Mold into round ovals and set aside.
- Icing sugar to sprinkle over baked Kahk
- In a large metal or glass bowl mix: flour, sugar, salt, roasted sesame seeds, and rehet al kahk.
- Warm the ghee and add to the flour. Use a wooden spoon to mix the dough. Allow to cool for 15minutes.
- Add the yeast and mix. The dough has to be cool when we add the yeast or else it will become deactivated.
- Add milk. Mix with wooden spoon, or you may knead the dough using your hands. Cover and place in cool place for 1 hour to rise.
- Obtain pressed pitted dates called agwa. This will be the filling for the kahk. Remove portions and hand roll into oval shapes. Keep covered so it does not dry up.
- Now roll the dough and stuff with date filling. Remove portions of dough about 1 tablespoon or larger size, roll into a ball shape, make a dip in the middle with your thumb, and place the date ball in the middle. Cover completely with dough, refer to photos in the post. Place in Kahk mold to create the design, then turn and smack gently onto a wooden board, leaving the geometric mold design on top. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, until the bottom turns a golden color. Remove. Allow to cool. Dust with icing sugar. Enjoy.
Kahk filled with dates, baked.
Noela strives to showcase South Sudan's food, culture and beauty. 
Hi! Is the yeast you use baking powder or is it the one we use for bread?
Also where do you find the kahk molds? I’ve been trying to find them forever without any luck. Specially the plastic ones.
Thank you
The yeast I use is the one for baking bread, instant dry yeast. The Kahk molds I found in an Arab store in San Antonio, Texas called Ali Baba, they have a variety. If you have a Mediterranean or Arab grocery store where you live, look there first.