Batheeth is a traditional Emirati no-bake sweet snack made with toasted flour and dates flavoured with warm spices ginger, cardamom and cinnamon. Served best with nuts and Arabic coffee or tea.
If you have access to date paste, then please do not hesitate to pick it up. There are so many recipes that you can make easily with premade date paste. You can start with this batheetha recipe or try my Algerian diamond cookies.
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What is Batheeth?
Batheeth aka Batheetha is an Emirati (UAE) date-based sweet snack with savoury notes of ginger and cardamom that is served with Gahwa or Arabic coffee. It is served as flat cookies, crumbs, or balls rolled in a choice of nuts.
Ingredients
- dates: I have used store bought date paste.
- flour: whole wheat flour. You may replace with any other flour like spelt or buckwheat.
- butter: unsalted melted. I have not tried with salted butter.
- ground spices: a mix of cardamom, ginger and cinnamon. You can use just one or two of these.
- rose water: optional but recommended
- nuts or seeds: optional but recommended
Which dates to use?
Mabroom or sukkary dates or any dates that are soft and sweet are best to make Batheeth. If you can get a packet of date paste, then there is hardly any work involved! You don't need an oven either!
How to store date paste?
As per the pack instructions. Ideally they can stay in your pantry until you open. Once opened, it is best to keep it in an airtight container or refrigerate.
How to remove date paste from the pack without making a mess?
Refrigerate the date paste pack so that it hardens. Take out and use a knife to cut portions. Weigh and use in the recipe. Thank me later. 🙂
How to make?
wheat flour toasted in a heavy-bottomed pan over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until golden brown. Approximately 10 minutes.
Store-bought date paste portioned and weighed.
Melting butter. You may add cardamom pods here to infuse the flavour if you do not have cardamom powder.
Toasted flour, ground spices, date paste and melted butter. Mixed throughly.
Back to the pan to warm up the entire mixture until evenly mixed and aromatic.
This is optional but I was gifted this mammoul mould so wanted to use it asap. Use any mould to make different shapes.
Shape while the mixture is still warm. You can leave them as crumbs too.
Storage
Batheeth stays good for days in an airtight box at room temperature. I had mine last up to 4 days. If you live in a humid weather or have added a lot of nuts then it is always better to keep these refrigerated.
📖 Recipe
Batheeth | Emirati Date Cookies
Ingredients
For the dates mix
- 350 grams date paste 2 cups packed pitted dates
- ½ cup whole wheat flour atta
- 50 grams butter melted
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- 1 pinch salt
- chopped nuts optional
- seeds optional
Instructions
- Add the wheat flour to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and toast over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until golden brown. Approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and keep aside.
- Stir the ground spices into the toasted flour. Add the date paste, melted butter and rose water. Using your clean hands, thoroughly mix without any traces of flour.
- Add back to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes to soften the mixture to warm. Use a wooden spatula to keep breaking the lumps.
- Remove from heat and add the chopped nuts, if using. start shaping it while still warm and okay to touch. You can either make balls or leave them as crumbs. Use any mould to make shapes. You may roll the balls in sesame seeds to coat them or flatten them a bit and press in an almond.
- Serve with black Arabic coffee and store the remaining in an airtight box for two days and refrigerate for longer.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!