Şekerpare is an Albanian and Turkish butter cookie soaked in syrup. I had a really good recipe for it that my friend Candan and I came up with years ago until I lost it! I tried so many recipes since then and it never turns out good, the dough would turn out crumbly, or they just wouldn’t bake nicely. I find that the recipes that ask for irmik/semolina were too dry.
My moms recipe is just like all the other Albanian recipes out there, the most common one uses 12 egg yolks and 2 cups of butter!
As delicious as they are, and trust me they are delicious, I just cannot make them, that is way to much butter and egg yolks for one cookie recipe!
I called my friend up and she gave me the list of ingredients in Turkish measurements for the sekerpare she makes, once again I had to figure out the differences! They turned out so good, not as yellow as the ones I used to make, wondering if I added more egg yolk in my original recipe, but they taste just as good. I guess I can try it out another time.
You may notice that many of my traditional recipes ask for 2 x 3/4 cups the reason is, Turkish recipes commonly ask for 2 su bardagi which translates to 2 water cups, when measured in a regular standard cup it comes to 3/4 cups. For further reference for myself included, 1 Turkish coffee cup comes to a 1/4 cup, and a Turkish tea cup comes to 1/2 cup, so now you know!
If you desire you may add a almond or hazelnut in the center before it bakes, I like to add ground walnuts after it bakes.
You may double this recipe if you need more cookies, this amount will make approximately 22 cookies.
What you will need:
- 2 x 3/4 cups flour
1/2 cup icing (powder) sugar
1 stick unsalted butter melted
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
For syrup:
- 2 cups sugar
1 and 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp lemon
Combine sugar and water in a pot, bring to a boil and continue to cook for about 3 minutes. It will thicken in time. Add lemon juice and allow to cool to room temperature.
Make cookies. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and icing sugar. In a bowl cream the melted butter and eggs. Add in the dry ingredients, combine till turns into soft cookie dough.
Roll into one inch balls, press thumb into centre and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
Pour some syrup over the cookies, until they they are no longer dry. Enjoy!
After experimenting with the recipe I came up with this version that is really good as well.
Alternate recipe:
For the syrup:
- 3 x 3/4 cups water
- 3 x 3/4 cups sugar
- squeeze of lemon juice
Bring water and sugar to boil. Boil until sugar is dissolved takes about 3 minutes of boiling time on medium heat.
Allow to cool to room temperature.
For the cookies:
- 1/2 cup softened salted butter
- 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
- drizzle of olive oil (around 2 tbsp)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup irmik (semolina)
- 3 eggs
- 1 packet vanilla sugar (optional)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 x 3/4 flour
Combine all ingredients in a bowl until it forms a smooth cookie dough. I use my hands to mix the ingredients. Shape into balls, put a dent in with your thumb, stick a hazelnut or whole almond if desired in the centre. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
Remove from oven and pour syrup over the cookies.
Ready to serve.
You did it girl! Looks good to me & your pictures are so nice mashaAllah & I’m pretty sure cookies were worth these stunning shots.