Makroud el Louse

Makroud el Louse (Algerian Almond Egg Cookies)

A classic Algerian cookie from the country's rich pastry tradition, Makroud el Louse is made simply from eggs, ground almonds, and sugar. The result is a chewy, marzipan-like biscuit with a crisp sugar crust and a soft, almost fudge-like center.

Prep

15 min

Cook

20 min

Total

35 min

Serves

20 cookies

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) ground almonds (almond meal), blanched almonds, finely ground; do not use almond flour made with skins
• •300 g (1⅓ cups) granulated sugar, plus extra for rolling
• •3 large eggs, room temperature
• •1 whole egg yolk, for brushing tops
• •1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated, optional but traditional
• •1 pinch salt
• •1 tsp icing sugar, optional, for dusting

Steps

1. 1 Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. 2 In a large bowl, whisk the 3 whole eggs with the granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes by hand.
3. 3 Add the lemon zest and salt, then fold in the ground almonds. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. If the dough feels too wet, add a tablespoon of ground almonds; if too dry, add a small splash of egg white.
4. 4 Lightly oil your hands (or wet them with cold water) to prevent sticking. Pinch off pieces of dough about 30 g (1 oz) each and roll between your palms into smooth balls roughly the size of a walnut.
5. 5 Roll each ball in extra granulated sugar to coat completely, then place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 4 cm (1½ in) apart. Flatten gently with the back of a fork or your fingers to about 1.5 cm (½ in) thick.
6. 6 Beat the egg yolk with a teaspoon of water and brush a thin layer over the top of each cookie.
7. 7 Bake on the middle rack for 18-22 minutes, until the tops are pale golden and the cookies feel set around the edges but still slightly soft in the center. They should not be deeply browned. Doneness cue: the surface should look dry and lightly cracked, and a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out with just a few moist crumbs.
8. 8 Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. They will firm up as they cool. Dust lightly with icing sugar if using before serving.
9. 9 Storage: keep in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 1 week; the flavor improves after a day as the almond flavor deepens.