Zemelah Cookies with Cinnamon
Crumbly, with a fragrant crust - a sweet tooth’s dream! Zemelah Cookies with Cinnamon are a traditional Jewish pastry made from shortcrust dough. They are very easy to make and turn out absolutely wonderful. Tasty and aromatic, these cookies will appeal to both children and adults.
Updated : 06 May, 2026
Easy
About 1 hour.
Ingredients
Dough
250 grams
Wheat flour
125 grams
Butter
1
Eggs
1 tablespoon
Milk
0.5 teaspoon
Baking powder
to taste
Salt
120 grams
Sugar
Sprinkle
1 tablespoon
Cinnamon
1 tablespoon
Sugar
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How do you bake homemade Zemelah cookies with cinnamon? Prepare the listed ingredients. Use all-purpose flour and a large egg. For the dough, you can use regular sugar or finely ground sugar, but for the topping use coarse sugar. Take the butter out of the refrigerator 2-3 hours before cooking. If that is not possible, you can soften it in the microwave, but do not melt it.
Step 2
Place the softened butter in a deep bowl, add the raw egg and sugar. Mix everything in any convenient way, with a fork, whisk, or mixer, until you get a smooth or evenly combined mixture.
Step 3
Add the milk to the dough and mix again until even. Add the required amount of flour together with the baking powder and salt, then knead the dough. The dough will be sticky, but you should still be able to gather it into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes. Depending on the quality of the flour, you may need slightly more or slightly less.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator. It will already be less sticky, but to roll it out without problems, lay down a sheet of parchment paper, place the dough on it, cover it with another sheet of parchment, and roll it out through the top sheet. Roll the dough into a sheet that is not too thin. Transfer it to a baking tray.
Step 5
Using a knife or an offset spatula, cut the dough into diamonds.
Step 6
Mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle the whole surface of the dough evenly. It is better to use a medium sieve for this, as the topping will be distributed more evenly. To help the topping stick, you can lightly go over the top with a rolling pin, without pressing too hard. Put the cookies into the preheated oven for 15-25 minutes, depending on how browned you want them. The exact time depends on your oven.
Step 7
Take the finished cookies out of the oven and, while they are still hot, run a knife through the cuts once more, fully separating the pieces from one another. Let the cookies cool and serve them with a glass of milk, a cup of tea, or coffee. The cookies can be stored for several days in an open container at room temperature. Enjoy your meal!
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