What is the main ingredient in gazelle ankle cookies?

The main ingredient in gazelle ankle cookies is almond paste.

Gazelle ankles, also called kaab el-ghazal, are crescent-shaped Maghrebi pastries made from a thin flour-based dough wrapped around a fragrant almond filling. The paste is usually flavored with orange-blossom water and may include sugar, cinnamon, or butter.

The pastry has a long history in the region. A thirteenth-century cookbook associated with Ibn Razīn al-Tujībī describes an early version made with almonds and sugar, although its shape and dough differed from the modern crescent form.

These cookies are especially associated with Moroccan celebrations, Ramadan, and Eid al-Fitr. Date-filled variations exist, which can cause confusion, but the classic gazelle ankle filling is almond paste. Pistachio and fig fillings are not the standard defining ingredient.