Barazek is a typical Jordanian cookie… although we initially did not include it in this post about the country’s traditional sweets. Perhaps its simple appearance and lack of complexity make it less famous and striking than baklava, knafeh, or booza. However, it is no less delicious or popular. Therefore, in this post, we tell you what these cookies consist of and where you can find them during your trip.
What Barazek Contains
Barazek is a typical Jordanian cookie that is easy to identify: it usually has a circular shape, although its roundness is often irregular rather than perfect, indicating that it has been handmade. The following ingredients are initially mixed into the barazek dough: flour, butter, icing sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, which should achieve a sandy texture before being left to rest in the refrigerator.
After several hours of resting, the second phase begins, involving the ingredient that gives this typical Jordanian cookie its fame, flavor, and color: small balls of dough are formed, flattened onto a plate with sesame seeds (this is the aforementioned star ingredient), and then baked in the oven. Finally, once removed, they are left to cool until they reach the hardness that gives them their characteristic crunchy texture.
Although this is the basic recipe, the dough allows for a wide range of variations, with ingredients generally introduced in the first phase (the mixing of the dough). For example, chopped pistachios are very common. Flavor notes can also be added with honey or spices. It is worth noting that the butter used is samneh, a clarified butter that often has an intense flavor, which transfers to the cookie’s aftertaste.
Where to Find This Cookie
It must be said that barazek is perhaps not originally from Jordan, but likely emerged in Damascus (Syria) during Ottoman rule. However, over time, it has become a traditional Jordanian sweet (as in other countries in the Levantine region) and is very popular among its people, who do not question its origin but simply cook it in many cases and, above all, savor it.
Perhaps due to its proximity to Syria, barazek is a very common cookie in northern Jordan, especially in the capital, Amman, but not exclusively, as it is also easy to taste this cookie in other southern destinations, such as Petra. It is generally enjoyed as an accompaniment to a hot tea, but also with ice cream or even Turkish coffee.
The country’s traditional bakeries produce and sell their own barazek in their establishments, but major sweet brands also include these cookies in their product catalogs, such as Habiba Sweets or Aghati Sweets, making them widely available in all types of food establishments and even in online stores.
The good news is that, being a popular sweet that can be stored for long periods at room temperature, they are ideal for use as a gift. In fact, many boxes are made in different sizes with elegant presentations, specifically designed to be purchased as souvenirs.
For all these reasons, barazek presents itself as a small delicacy that you will have at hand during your trip and that you can also bring back home. To try one or to buy a small box of this delight, you just need to look around or ask one of our guides for advice.
