Karawo Cookies: A Taste of Gorontalo’s Heritage

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - If embroidery is usually applied to fabric, this time the technique is applied to cookies. The cookies are called Karawo, a traditional treat from Gorontalo which has a sweet flavor and a soft texture.

Its uniqueness lies in the art of painting on the cookies using colorful sugar that mimics the embroidered patterns of Karawo fabric, a traditional, hand-stitched embroidery technique from Gorontalo, renowned for its complex, colorful patterns. Because the process is very detailed and time-consuming, each cookie is hand-decorated one by one.

Therefore, the production is meticulous, making it a specialized craft, often resulting in small-batch production to maintain quality. Decorating the cookies with various patterns requires high precision and special skills.

These cookies showcase beautiful artwork, ranging from flowers and leaves to other intricate designs. Not only beautiful on the outside, the cookies also use high-quality ingredients with flavors like chocolate, cheese, peanuts, and cashews.

Also known as Kerawang cookies, Karawo cookies are made from wheat flour, butter, powdered sugar, egg yolk, milk, vanilla, and cornstarch. The process of making Karawo cake requires prioritizing the soft ingredients first, then followed by the coarse ones. It is said that this can make it easier to mix all the ingredients used evenly.

The dough is shaped using different molds, though they are typically round or heart-shaped. After shaping, the cookies are baked in the oven for about 40 minutes until fully cooked, then cooled and decorated with motifs resembling Karawo fabric. The decorative icing is made from a mixture of egg whites, sugar, and food coloring.

The word karawo itself is an abbreviation of kaita, rantheya, and wo’ala, which refer to tying, chaining, and pulling apart—techniques used in Gorontalo embroidery. Many also say that karawo comes from the Gorontalo language, meaning hand embroidery.

Karawo cookies may last quite long. When stored in an airtight container, they can last from one to three months, making them safe to ship or carry as a souvenir on long trips.

These cookies often appear on Eid al-Fitr, when they are served to guests visiting homes. If you want to buy Karawo cookies as a souvenir from Gorontalo, you can buy them at local bakeries.