Traditional Lebanese Kaak
  • Yield: 40-50
  • Prep Time: 1-2 hours minutes
  • Cook Time: 60-80 minutes
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Traditional Lebanese Kaak

By December 15, 2018

Kaak is a traditional Lebanese milk bun cookie that are soft and fluffy goodness. Spiced with Mahlab, which is a fragrant spice derived from the pits of cherry seeds, nutmeg, and ground anis. Typically made around Eid and Easter time and arguably the perfect pairing to any cup of coffee or tea.  Recipe can be easily doubled to share or freeze them for later.

 

This batch makes 40-50 Kaak Bun Cookies.  Read full recipe before starting. 

Ingredients

  • Step # 1 Ingredients:
  • 3 ¼ cups of whole milk (you can use 2%)
  • 1 ½ cup of Crisco (vegetable shorting)
  • 3 ¼ cup of cups of sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp orange blossom
  • Sauce pan
  • Step #2 Ingredients:
  • 9 ½ cups of white flour (I use White Rose)
  • ¾ cup of Semolina flour #1
  • 3 tbsp of ground Mahlab
  • 1 tsp ground anis powder
  • 1 tsp of ground nutmeg powder
  • 2 tsp of dry yeast
  • 2 tsp of baking powder
  • Step # 3 Ingredients:
  • 2 cups of white of toasted Sesame Seeds
  • 2 tbsp of white sugar
  • Step # 4 Ingredients:
  • 1 cup of milk (2%)
  • Silicone brush
  • Small sauce pot
  • Other needed ingredients and equipment:
  • 2 large Baking sheets (I use aluminum trays because I find them to brown evenly)
  • 2-Silicone brushes (one to spread oil on baking sheet and one for brushing milk on cookies, used in Step 4)
  • ½ cup of Canola oil (to lightly grease baking sheets)

Instructions

  • Kaak mould can be found at middle eastern grocery store. they came in plastic or wood mould and in a variety of sizes and patterns.

 

  • Step 1: in a sauce pan over medium heat, bring milk to a light simmer. Whisk sugar into the milk until it’s fully dissolved. Turn heat off and remove from stove. Add, vanilla, orange blossom and Crisco and whisk few times. Set it aside and move on to next step.

  • Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, sift in flour then add semolina, mahlab, anis powder, yeast, baking powder and nutmeg. Using your hands or wooden spoon to combine.

  • Carefully add the milk in 2-3 patches (remember it’s hot) so start off by mixing it with a spatula or wooden spoon and then move on to use your hands to knead the dough. Making sure milk is fully absorbed by the flour ingredients. If dough is sticky, gently rub your hands in a little oil and continue kneading dough until it becomes soft, then form into one mound. Gently, rub the top of the kaak dough with 1 teaspoon of oil and cover with plastic.

  • This step is important: wrap your bowl in 2 layers: a large towel first then another layer  like table cover or blanket and leave in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours to rise. I place wrapped bowl inside the oven, because in the winter I find that main floor area is always cold.

  • Step 3: In a small bowl, place sesame seeds with sugar and mix. Set aside

  • Shaping and baking the Kaak: Preheat oven to 400 degrees (I have an electric stove, so be careful if you have a gas stove you might need to adjust heat according) keep oven light on and watch first tray for cooking time as every oven cooking heat is different.
  • Spread 1 teaspoon of oil over baking sheet.

  • form the dough into small lime size balls, then dab the ball into the sesame sugar mixture. Place the kaak ball sesame side down onto the kaak mould and flatten into a disk about ½ inch thickness.
  • Carefully remove the flattened kaak from the mould and place onto the baking sheet 1-inch part, with sesame seeds facing upwards, repeat for rest until tray is full.

  • Place on lower rack of oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until kaak is golden brown. ( to get a more golden color on Kaak,  for the last 2- minutes of backing remove to top rack in oven, again depends your ovens heat). 

  • Step 4: In a sauce pan, add 2 cups of milk and gently warm it up for brushing the Kaak immediately after coming out from oven. This step keeps kaak moist and softer longer.

 

  • Remove from oven, and immediately while still hot brush the top of the kaak with the warm milk.

  • Move to rack or parchment paper to cool. After completely cooling down, store in Ziploc bags in fridge. These kaak bun cookies freeze well.

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