If there’s one universally loved Middle Eastern dessert, it’s Kunafa. For those of you that haven’t tried Kunafa yet, let me tell you that you’re missing out on something special ✨.
It’s a one-of-a-kind dessert that’s made with a special spun pastry dough called kataifi and is filled with cream or cheese and soaked in sugar syrup.
While this quintessential Middle Eastern dessert is famous all across the world, it holds an extra special place for people like me who have grown up in the region. It’s one of those classic desserts you can never go wrong with. That one dessert that you can find in every nook and corner of your city.
It’s a dessert I have been eating since I was a little kid. I still remember how excited we used to get seeing a plate of Kunafa. The crunchy exterior and the soft, creamy center made for the perfect dish to end a delicious meal. And of course, we doused it in sugar syrup, because that’s the only right way of eating it.
The interesting part about Kunafa is that it’s made differently across the region. I had only ever eaten the cream-filled kind in Saudi until I moved to Dubai, where they fill it with stringy cheese. Some make it with a crunchy exterior while some make it soft. There is really no one “right way” of making Kunafa. Every region adds its own personal twist to it.
The only wrong way of making it is filling it with Nutella 🤢. Seriously, guys. We all love Nutella, but adding it to Kunafa is just blasphemy.
While nothing can beat a classic Kunafa, it’s become an inspiration for many desserts. The flavors of Kunafa really work well with all kinds of sweets, like this Kunafa cheesecake. So for this Ramadan series, I wanted to give Kunafa my own twist and create a fun dessert that brings together all the known and loved flavors of the classic in a delicious little package.
And I present you with – Kunafa Cookies! 🍪
I’ll admit that when I came up with this idea, I was really unsure if it will actually work. My main goal when making a dessert inspired by a classic is to really stay true to its flavors, so I wanted to make sure that the cookie actually reminds you of a Kunafa when you bite into it.
It took some experimenting…but I got it! This cookie is jam-packed with all the flavors of a classic Kunafa – the kataifi dough, the cream filling, the sugar syrup, and hits close to home ❤️.
Here’s how I added the flavors of a classic Kunafa into the cookie
The Cookie Dough
Because the dough is the main element of the cookie, I wanted it to resemble the flavors of a Kunafa as much as possible. I made a sugary base and infused it with the kataifi dough to help bring out the flavors of the Kunafa in the cookie.
Kataifi dough is easily available in any Middle-Eastern store. It’s usually just called “Kunafa Dough” and is present in the frozen section. If you’re in the Middle East, you will easily find it in any and every store.
The Filling
We all know that a Kunafa is nothing without its filling. I personally love the cream-filled ones, so I added a thick cream filling inside the cookie dough to resemble my favorite Kunafa.
The Topping
To finish, I topped the cookies with some roasted kataifi dough to add that Kunafa crunch and drizzled some sugar syrup over the cookie just before serving.
Together, all the flavors of this cookie really remind you of a Kunafa, but with a twist. It’s a simple and delicious way to enjoy the classic dessert that we all love.
These Kunafa cookies are perfect for Ramadan because you can prep them and freeze them beforehand. They will last you the entire month in the freezer! All you have to do is pop them in the oven and they’re ready to go!
I have added make-ahead instructions below.
Now let’s get started with these Kunafa cookies!
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are very unreliable and can give different measurements, so I would suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups, however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
PPS: if you notice a * after any word, it means that there are additional tips about it after the recipe
Kunafa Cookies
Equipment
- Oven-safe baking tray
- Baking paper
- Ice cream scoop (optional, but helpful)
- Electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 140 gms all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 113 gms unsalted butter (softened)
- 150 gms white granulated sugar
- 50 gms kataifi dough (defrosted)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
Filling
- 100 gms thick cream
Sugar Syrup
- 50 gms white granulated sugar
- 50 gms water
Topping
- Extra Kataifi dough
- Melted Butter
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour (140 gms), baking powder (1/2 tsp), baking soda (1/2 tsp), and salt (1/4th tsp) with a whisk.
- In a stand mixer or a bowl with electric mixer, add the softened butter* (113 gms) and sugar (150 gms), and cream together on high speed for 2 minutes, until the sugar is well incorporated into the butter. The mixture should be pale and creamy.
- Add the shredded kataifi dough (50 gms) into the butter mix and beat in high speed for 1 minute, until it’s well combined.
- Next, add the room temperature egg* (1), and vanilla essence (1 tsp) into the butter mixture and beat on medium-high speed until it’s all well combined and there is no liquid remaining in the batter.
- With the mixture on low, add the prepared dry ingredients into the batter and keep mixing until everything is well incorporated and there are no streaks of flour remaining. You will end up with a creamy, thick cookie dough at the end.
- Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 8-10 hours.*
Filling
- For the filling, scoop 8 spoons of thick cream and freeze for 2 hours or until they are completely set.
Sugar Syrup
- Combine sugar (50 gms), and water (50 gms) in a saucepan.
- Bring it to boil on high heat, then let it simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes, until thickened.
Assembly
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature, then scoop 8 balls of dough on a parchment paper. You can use an ice cream scoop to make even scoops, or just make cookie dough rounds using your hands.
- To fill the cookie dough with the frozen cream, flatten the cookie dough ball, add a frozen cream scoop in the center, and properly seal it by folding the cookie dough and covering the cream from all sides. Watch the video below to help you with the process!
- Repeat this until all the cookie dough balls are filled.
- Make ahead: If you are prepping the cookie dough for future use, freeze the filled cookie dough balls in a zip lock bag for up to a month. Bring them to room temperature before baking and follow the below baking instructions.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius.
- Line a baking tray with parchment and place 2 cookie dough balls on it. Make sure to leave enough space for each to spread out properly.
- Combine some extra kataifi dough with melted better until it’s properly covered with the butter and spread it on the side of your baking tray. This will be used to top the warm cookies after they have been baked.
- Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, until they have spread and have browned from the bottom and sides, but the center is still soft.
- Take out the cookies and immediately top them with the baked kataifi dough. You have to do this while the cookies are still hot so that the kataifi dough sticks to the cookie as it cools.
- Optional: Use a round cookie cutter or mug to shape the cookies while they are still warm to give them a nice and round shape.
- The cookie is best served fresh out of the oven, but you can also warm it in the microwave or oven before serving. However, the kataifi dough will lose it’s crunchiness over time.
- Drizzle some sugar syrup on the cookies just before serving and you’re ready to go!
Notes
- These cookies are best eaten fresh out of the oven. They can be stored in an air-tight container for 2-3 days, however, the katafi dough will no longer be crispy.
- You can also make the filled cookie dough balls and freeze them for up to a month.
- Softened butter: Make sure your butter is at room temperature but not too warm. If the butter is too soft, your dough will end up being too soft, causing the cookies to spread too much in the oven and deflate after you take them out
- Room temperature eggs: Make sure your eggs are at room temperature as well, cold eggs also lead to deflation of cookies
- Chilling the cookie dough: Don’t skip the chilling step! Chilling your dough allows the sugar to combine within the dough a lot better, creating chewier, thicker cookies
If you love Kunafa, you have to give these cookies a try! They really pack all the flavors of a classic Kunafa in a delicious little package.
Make them now and pop them in the freezer to use them during Ramadan to make your life easy! No one wants to spend time in the kitchen during Ramadan, I know!
If you give this recipe a try, don’t forget to let me know how you liked it in the comments below!
And of course, share it with me on Instagram using #ministryofpastry!
See you next time!
