Ramadan Night Market Ginger Walnut Cookies with Clove Sugar

Name: Ramadan Night Market Ginger Walnut Cookies with Clove Sugar
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 6 oz (170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, at room temperature; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; ¼ cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar; 1 (50 g) large egg, at room temperature; 2 tbsp (20 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; ¾ tsp (4 ml) pure vanilla extract; 1¾ cup (220 g) all-purpose flour; ½ tsp (2½ g) baking powder; ¾ tsp (1½ g) ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground cloves; ¼ tsp (1½ g) kosher salt; 1 cup (120 g) toasted walnuts, cooled, toasted and finely chopped; ½ cup (100 g) caster sugar (or superfine sugar); ½ tsp (1 g) whole cloves

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Warm, aromatic cookies inspired by the spice-filled night markets of the Levant. Toasted walnuts and fresh ginger meet earthy cloves and cinnamon in a buttery, tender crumb. Finished with a fragrant clove-infused sugar coating, these cookies are perfect for breaking the fast during Ramadan, with tea or coffee, or anytime you want a sophisticated spiced treat.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 2 min
Makes: 24 cookies

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Ingredients

24 servings

For the dough
6 oz (170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, at room temperature
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
1 (50 g) large egg, at room temperature
2 tbsp (20 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
¾ tsp (4 ml) pure vanilla extract
1¾ cup (220 g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (2.5 g) baking powder
¾ tsp (1.5 g) ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground cloves
¼ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt
1 cup (120 g) toasted walnuts, cooled, toasted and finely chopped
For the clove sugar coating
½ cup (100 g) caster sugar (or superfine sugar)
½ tsp (1 g) whole cloves

Equipment (10)

Medium bowl
Small bowl
Large bowl (or stand mixer bowl)
Electric mixer (hand-held or stand)
Baking sheets (2)
Parchment paper
Wooden spoon
Measuring cups and spoons
Microplane or box grater for ginger
Spice grinder or mortar and pestle (optional, for clove sugar)

Steps

Before you start

Bring butter and eggs to room temperature (about 1 hour)
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) 15 minutes before baking
Toast walnuts at 350°F for 8–10 minutes until fragrant, then cool and chop

1
Make clove sugar
- Combine caster sugar and whole cloves in a small bowl.
- If you have a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the cloves into the sugar to distribute them evenly; otherwise, finely crush the cloves by hand and mix thoroughly.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Sugar is fragrant and flecked with clove pieces
Tip: Making the clove sugar ahead (even the night before) allows the clove flavor to infuse more fully.
2
Cream butter and sugars
- In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar using an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2–3 minutes, until pale, fluffy, and nearly tripled in volume.
- Scrape down the bowl as needed.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale, fluffy, and light in color
Tip: Room-temperature butter is essential; cold butter won't cream properly and the dough will be dense.
3
Add egg and ginger
- Add the egg to the butter mixture and beat on medium speed for 1 minute until fully incorporated.
- Add the finely grated fresh ginger and vanilla extract, and beat for another 30 seconds until combined.
- The mixture may look slightly curdled; this is normal.
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Ready when: Egg is fully incorporated and ginger is evenly distributed
Tip: Finely grating the ginger by hand or on a microplane distributes it more evenly than chunky pieces.
4
Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt until well combined and free of lumps.
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Ready when: Spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour
Tip: Whisking the dry ingredients ensures the spices are dispersed evenly so you won't get a pocket of pure clove or cinnamon.
5
Combine wet and dry
- Add the dry ingredient mixture to the butter mixture and fold together gently with a wooden spoon or on low mixer speed until just combined.
- Do not overmix.
- Fold in the chopped toasted walnuts until evenly distributed.
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Ready when: No dry flour streaks visible and walnuts are spread throughout
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and leads to tough, cakey cookies. Mix just until no dry flour remains.
6
Chill dough
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes, or until it is firm enough to scoop.
- This prevents the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
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Ready when: Dough is firm and holds a scoop shape
Tip: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) if you haven't already.
7
Shape and coat cookies
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Working with chilled dough, use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop or small spoon to drop rounds of dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- Gently press the top of each cookie with a fork to flatten slightly.
- Sprinkle a generous pinch of clove sugar over each cookie, pressing it gently so it adheres.
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Ready when: All cookies are shaped, spaced, and coated with sugar
Tip: Slightly flattening the cookies with a fork encourages even baking and creates a rustic, charming look.
8
Bake cookiesOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 11–13 minutes, until the edges are light golden brown and the centers still look barely set.
- The cookies will firm up as they cool.
- Do not overbake—they should still feel slightly soft in the center when removed from the oven.
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Ready when: Edges are light golden and centers are just set, not firm
Tip: Underbaked cookies are more flavorful and tender. They continue to cook on the hot pan after removal.
9
Cool on pan and transfer
- Let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3–4 minutes (they will continue to firm up), then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- The clove sugar will harden slightly as the cookies cool, creating a delicate crust.
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Ready when: Cookies are cool to the touch and sugar coating is firm
Tip: Moving them to a wire rack allows air to circulate underneath, preventing the bottoms from becoming soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Fresh ginger adds bright, peppery heat that balances the sweetness. Peeling and grating it finely ensures even distribution throughout the dough.
These cookies are meant to be tender and slightly soft in the center—overbaking will dry them out and mute the delicate spice flavors.
Serve warm (or gently warmed) with strong black tea, Arabic coffee, or hot milk for a traditional Ramadan night market experience.
The clove sugar coating not only adds visual appeal but also provides a burst of warm clove flavor with each bite.

Make ahead

Dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Baked cookies keep well for 4–5 days, making them ideal for preparing ahead before Ramadan. Clove sugar can be made 1–2 weeks ahead and stored in an airtight jar.

Storage & reheating

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They taste best within the first 3 days. Not recommended for freezing due to the delicate clove sugar topping.

Substitutions

fresh ginger → 1 tablespoon (6 g) ground ginger. Use ground ginger if fresh is unavailable, but reduce to 1 tbsp as it is more potent than fresh ginger. The flavor will be slightly different and more subtle.
toasted walnuts, cooled → toasted pecans or blanched almonds (finely chopped). Both nuts have a similar warm, toasty quality. Use the same weight. Toast them yourself if not pre-toasted.
caster sugar (or superfine sugar) → turbinado sugar or pearl sugar. These coarser sugars create a crunchier texture and sparkle. If using coarse sugar, press it firmly onto the cookie so it adheres.
ground cloves → pinch of nutmeg (reduce to 1/8 tsp) or allspice (same amount). Nutmeg will make the cookies more subtle; allspice provides a similar warm spice profile with slight sweetness.