Kleicha are much-loved Iraqi cookies, baked in big batches for Eid and shared with family and neighbours. A soft, cardamom-scented pastry is rolled around a spiced date filling, sliced into spirals and glazed until golden.

This recipe swaps part of the flour for jackfruit flour. It adds a gentle earthy note that complements the dates, and makes the pastry tender and slightly crumbly in the best way.

Prep: 40 min | Rest: 30 min | Bake: 18–22 min per tray | Total: About 1 hr 45 min | Makes: About 30 cookies | Difficulty: Medium

Suitable for vegetarians.

Ingredients

For the dough

• 250 g plain flour
• 100 g jackfruit flour
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
• Pinch of salt
• 150 g ghee or unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• About 120 ml warm milk

For the date filling

• 300 g date paste
• 1 tbsp ghee or butter
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

For the glaze

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp milk
• Pinch of saffron, soaked in 1 tsp warm water (optional)
• Sesame or nigella seeds (optional)

Method

1. Make the dough. In a large bowl, mix the plain flour, jackfruit flour, cardamom, baking powder, sugar, yeast and salt. Pour in the melted ghee and rub it through with your fingertips until the mixture looks like damp sand.
2. Bring it together. Add the warm milk a little at a time and knead gently into a soft, smooth dough that doesn't stick to your hands. Don't overwork it. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
3. Make the filling. Warm the date paste and ghee in a pan over low heat, mashing and stirring until soft and spreadable. Stir in the cardamom and cinnamon, then leave to cool.
4. Heat the oven. Heat to 170°C (150°C fan, gas 3) and line two baking trays with baking paper.
5. Roll out. Divide the dough into 3. Roll one piece between two sheets of baking paper into a rectangle roughly 25 × 20 cm and 3–4 mm thick.
6. Fill and roll. Spread a third of the date filling thinly over the dough, leaving a 1 cm border along one long edge. Starting from the other long edge, roll it up tightly into a log, pressing the seam to seal.
7. Slice. Cut the log into 2 cm slices and place them cut-side down on the tray, 3 cm apart. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
8. Glaze. Beat the egg yolk with the milk (and saffron water, if using) and brush over the tops. Sprinkle with seeds.
9. Bake. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until golden on top and lightly browned underneath. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes, then move to a wire rack.

Tips for success

• Keep the dough soft. If it cracks when rolling, knead in a teaspoon or two of warm milk.
• Thin filling layer. Too much date paste makes the spirals ooze and lose their shape.
• Chill for neat slices. If the log is soft, chill it for 15 minutes before slicing.
• Watch the bottoms. Jackfruit flour browns quickly, so check the undersides from 16 minutes.

Variations

• Classic disc kleicha: wrap a small ball of date filling in a ball of dough, flatten into a disc and press with a kleicha mould or the tines of a fork.
• Nut filling (kleicha bil joz): replace the dates with chopped walnuts mixed with sugar, cardamom and a little rose water.
• Plain kleicha (khfefiyat): skip the filling and shape the dough into small rounds.

Serving suggestions

Serve with strong black tea or Arabic coffee. They make a lovely gift for Eid or any family gathering.

Storage

Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. They freeze well for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.

FAQs

Why is there yeast and baking powder? The small amount of yeast gives the pastry a light, slightly bready texture, while the baking powder keeps it tender. Together they give the traditional kleicha bite.

Can I make my own date paste? Yes. Soak 300 g pitted dates in hot water for 15 minutes, drain, then blend or mash into a thick paste.

Can I use butter instead of ghee? Yes. Ghee gives a richer, more traditional flavour, but unsalted butter works well.