Two Icons of Eid Cookies
Eid feels incomplete without jars of cookies on the guest table. Among the many kinds, nastar and kastengel are the most sought after. Nastar offers buttery tenderness with sweet-tangy pineapple jam filling, while kastengel charms with savory, crunchy cheese.
Baking your own Eid cookies is deeply satisfying and saves money. With the right recipe, the results can rival famous bakeries.
Nastar and Kastengel Ingredients
For nastar: 250 g low-protein flour, 150 g margarine, 50 g butter, 100 g powdered sugar, 1 egg, 2 tbsp milk powder, 2 tbsp cornstarch, pineapple jam for filling, and egg yolk for glazing.
For kastengel: 350 g low-protein flour, 250 g margarine, 50 g butter, 2 egg yolks, 100 g grated cheddar for the dough, 50 g cornstarch, 1/2 tsp salt, plus egg yolk and grated cheese for glazing and topping.
Steps to Make Nastar and Kastengel
Nastar: beat the margarine, butter, and powdered sugar briefly until just combined — not too long, so the cookies stay tender. Add the egg, mix well, then fold in the sifted flour, cornstarch, and milk powder gradually until the dough can be shaped. Take a small piece, flatten, fill with a ball of pineapple jam, and roll back into a ball. Arrange on a tray, brush with egg yolk, and bake at 150°C for 25-30 minutes.
Kastengel: mix the margarine and butter briefly, add egg yolks and grated cheese, stir well. Add the flour and cornstarch gradually until smooth. Roll the dough 1 cm thick, cut into sticks, arrange on a tray, brush with egg yolk, and sprinkle grated cheese. Bake at 150-160°C for 30-35 minutes until golden.
Fail-Proof Eid Cookie Tips
Do not overbeat the butter or the cookies will puff up then shrink and harden. Use low heat so the cookies bake through without a burnt, bitter exterior.
Brush the egg yolk glaze on when the cookies are half-baked for a glowing, crack-free finish. After baking, cool the cookies completely at room temperature before jarring so trapped steam does not soften them.
