Kleicha are the national cookies of Iraq. In texture they are rather on the dry side, and they come in several traditional shapes and fillings, such as the sweet discs khfefiyyat), the half moons filled with nuts and sugar (kleichat joz), the molded ones filled with dates (kleichat tamur). They are all scented with cardamom and sometimes rose water, and glazed with egg wash, that is sometimes scented and colored with a little saffron. We have all wondered, at one point or another, where the name kleicha came from, but have not got a satisfactory explanation. However, I think I have put my finger on a clue.

We know now that the ancient Mesopotamians used to make similar cookies called, "qullupu," which in all probability were round in shape ("qullu"), judging from the common Semitic "kull" (whole), and the Greek "kolo" (circle), and "kuklus" (wheel).