These are as traditional as it gets for me! Known as Šape, and translating directly to “paws,” these are soft, crumbly, and complete any Bosnian cookie tray. They are served at Christmas, birthdays, weddings, and most special occasions. Personally, I’ll take mine just because.
In Bosnia, coffee is a tradition that takes place any time of day or night. I mention that here because a sweet treat is often served, even if it’s a cube of sugar for dipping! Lots of conversations and gatherings take place over a bosanska kafa (Turkish style coffee). These paws cookies are perfect to serve with it. I recommend making these for your next guests, serving with a warm coffee or sweet tea, and enjoying these simple pleasures.
What you’ll need
Mini tart molds are a must for shaping and baking these cookies. You can always get interesting shapes for holidays, think hearts for Valentines or Christmas trees for the holidays, but I use mini tins that resemble paws, how they were made in my childhood home. The rest of the ingredients I use are very traditional as well. I’ve seen people add some ingredients such as lemon for a little twist or substitutes, but I like mine with the walnuts coming through and the sticky powdered sugar mixed with the butter shortbread melting with each cookie.
This recipe is tried and true and loved by all I know; I hope you enjoy it too.
PrintTraditional Bosnian Šape (Paw Cookies)
Ingredients
- 9 (125g) tbsp of butter
- 1 cup(200g) sugar
- 2 packs of vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp of vanilla extract)
- 150 ml oil
- 100 ml water
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 cup (100g) of ground walnuts
- 4 cups (500g) all purpose flour
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F(175C)
- Beat butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy.
- Add oil and water.
- Keep mixing on lowest speed.
- In a separate bowl whisk flour and baking powder.
- Gradually add to the butter mixture while mixing on a low speed.
- Add ground walnuts and mix just until ingredients are incorporated.
- Place the tins on cookie sheets and bake 22-25 minutes.
- While still warm turn the tins upside down as it will be easier to remove the cookies from the tins.
- Once the cookies cool down, squeeze a tin just a little and the cookie should come out easily.
- Roll cookies in powdered sugar.
