40+ Middle Eastern Desserts

The Middle East, a vibrant tapestry of cultures and traditions, offers an equally rich and diverse experience for your taste buds. Beyond savory delights like hummus and kebabs, lies a hidden world of exquisite sweets that will entice your senses and leave you craving more. From syrup-soaked pastries to creamy puddings infused with aromatic spices, Middle Eastern sweets are a celebration of flavor, texture, and tradition.

With about 18 Middle Eastern countries, a diverse range of ingredients come together to create complex and indulgent flavors. Nuts, spices and folral water are among the most sifnificant ingredients of Middle Eastern Desserts. So let's take a look.

Jump to:

• 1- Baklava- The Crown Jewel
• 2- Kunafa - A Cream Lover's Dream
• 3-Maamoul - Date-Filled Delights
• 4- Halva: A Sesame Seed Odyssey
• 5-Turkish Delight
• 6- Basbousa
• 7- Umm Ali: Bread Pudding Gets an Upgrade
• 8- Pistachio Cookies- Barazek
• 9- Milk Pudding - Mahalabia
• 10- Baklava Cheesecake
• 11- Rice Pudding (roz bel laban)
• 12- Qatayef - Stuffed Pancakes
• 13- Tulumba (Balah El Sham)
• 14- Warbat (Shabiyat)
• 15- Ghraybeh- Shortbread Cookies
• 16- Zalabia (Awamat)
• 17- Date Cake
• 18- Orange Bundt Cake with Saffron
• 19- Nabuldi Tamriyeh
• 20- Lokma
• 21- Maamoul Mad
• 22- Chocolate Covered Dates
• 🍬 More Middle Eastern Desserts
• ❤️ Why you'll love Middle Eastern Desserts
• 🌟 Feast your eyes; more Middle Eastern Dishes

1- Baklava- The Crown Jewel

This undisputed king of Middle Eastern desserts needs no introduction. Imagine layers of flaky phyllo dough, crispy and golden, generously filled with chopped nuts like pistachios and walnuts. Drenched in fragrant simple syrup, It is an outstanding blend of flavors and textures that will melt in your mouth.

Here is my favorite Baklava Recipe.

2- Kunafa - A Cream Lover's Dream

Kanafeh is a unique dessert featuring golden, buttery, shredded phyllo dough encasing a creamy, gooey heart soaked in sweet syrup and topped with a crispy pistachio layer. The contrasting textures and sweet-buttery flavor combination make it an unforgettable experience.
Kanafeh is a jewel of Middle Eastern desserts, that is why many variations exist. Here are my favorites.
Kunafa, Kunafa with mango, Bird's best Kunafa,..etc. Check out more Kunafa Recipes.

3-Maamoul - Date-Filled Delights

These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are a staple during festive occasions. Delicate shortbread shells enclose sweet date paste, creating a delightful contrast in textures and flavors. Often adorned with intricate designs, maamoul are not just delicious, but also visually stunning.

Try this Fan Favorite Maamoul Cookies

4- Halva: A Sesame Seed Odyssey

Made from tahini, sugar, and sometimes nuts, halva is a dense, crumbly confection that comes in various flavors and textures. From the light and airy to the dense and chewy, halva offers a delightful sesame seed experience for every palate.

Halva Recipe

5-Turkish Delight

Turkish Delight, or Lokum as it's known in its homeland, is a captivating confection that eill please your taste buds. Soft, jelly-like squares, dusted with icing sugar like fallen snow. Bite in, and you're met with a delightful chew, yielding to a burst of fragrant sweetness. Classic flavors like rosewater and lemon offer an elegant perfume, while playful options like pomegranate and orange add a vibrant twist. Often served with Turkish Coffee.

Check out how to make different flavors of Turkish Delight with video here.

6- Basbousa

Basbousa, a Middle Eastern treasure disguised as a cake made with semolina flour. Basbousa offers a unique textural and flavor experience. with its dense and slightly crumbly, like sunshine-kissed sandcastles. This base, subtly sweet on its own, is generously drenched in a fragrant sugar syrup, infusing it with floral orange blossom water or the zing of lemon.

Here, try the BEST Basbousa Recipe.

7- Umm Ali: Bread Pudding Gets an Upgrade

One of the decadent Egyptian desserts takes bread pudding to a whole new level. Layers of flaky pastry, nuts, raisins, and dates are drenched in milk and cream, then baked until golden. Topped with whipped cream or ice cream, Umm Ali is a warm and comforting treat perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth on a chilly night.

My recipe for umm Ali is a bit different, but boy, is it good?!

8- Pistachio Cookies- Barazek

Barazek cookies are a delightful mix of textures and flavors in every bite. Thin, crisp discs like golden coins, one side adorned with a generous coating of toasted sesame seeds, their honeyed glaze glistening in the light. Flip it over, and you're greeted by a carpet of crushed pistachios, adding a nutty crunch.

9- Milk Pudding - Mahalabia

Mahalabia, a silken delicious dessert from the Middle East, promises extreme satisfaction with its deceptively simple ingredients. This milk pudding, often flavored with vanilla, rosewater or orange blossom water, is all about the smooth, creamy texture achieved through few ingredients. The beauty of mahalabia lies in its adaptability. Keep it classic with rosewater, or experiment with cardamom, orange blossom water, or even a splash of coffee for a unique twist. Whether you're a dessert aficionado or a comfort food seeker, mahalabia's charm lies in its simplicity and versatility.

10- Baklava Cheesecake

Baklava Cheesecake is a decadent union of two dessert icons: the flaky, syrup-soaked layers of baklava and the rich, creamy indulgence of cheesecake. This baklava cheesecake recipe takes you on a flavor journey through the Middle East and beyond. Picture a buttery phyllo crust studded with nuts, cradling a smooth cheesecake filling infused with a hint of honey and spices.

11- Rice Pudding (roz bel laban)

Rice pudding, a comforting classic around the world. Warm, creamy rice bathed in a pool of milky sweetness, each grain plump and tender. It's a dessert that brings back childhood joyful memories, yet remains versatile enough to be dressed up with nuts, fruit, chocolate, or even savory spices. Whether enjoyed steaming hot or chilled to perfection, rice pudding offers a simple pleasure that warms the heart and satisfies the soul. So grab a spoon and make this classic Rice Pudding or if contemporary is your style switch to this Instant Pot Rice Pudding.

12- Qatayef - Stuffed Pancakes

Qatayef, one of the most popular Middle Eastern desserts during Ramadan, these delicate sweet dumplings lies between pancake and dessert. Delicious thin, panckes fried to golden brown perfection, their edges slightly crisp. But here's the twist: instead of being flat, they're folded over, cradling a treasure of fillings. Sweet options like creamy ashta (clotted cream) or a nutty mixture of walnuts and cinnamon promise decadent indulgence. Try them both, Classic Qatayef with nuts, Qatayef Asafiri with cream.

13- Tulumba (Balah El Sham)

Tulumba, a golden jewel of the dessert world, promises a delightful crunch followed by a melt-in-your-mouth surprise. Think of it as a twist to the well known churros, only fried then dunked into syrup. These bite-sized wonders are perfect for sharing (or keeping all to yourself!). So don't be fooled by their simple appearance – tulumba packs a flavor punch that will leave you reaching for more.

14- Warbat (Shabiyat)

Shabiyat, a whisper of elegance from the Middle East, with a delightful mix of textures and flavors in every bite. Delicate layers of crispy golden phyllo or puff pastry forming a cup with a creamy heart of ashta, a sweet, clotted cream infused with rosewater or orange blossom water for a captivating fragrance.

15- Ghraybeh- Shortbread Cookies

Ghraybeh, a melt-in-your-mouth morsel from the Middle East, a buttery bliss with every bite. A tasty shortbread cookies with a delightful crumbliness that gives way to a surprisingly soft, buttery interior leaving a hint of richness without ever becoming cloying. Simple yet sophisticated, these cookies often wear a crown of a single pistachio or almond, adding a satisfying crunch and visual flair.

16- Zalabia (Awamat)

Zalabia, a Middle Eastern sweet treat masquerading as a tiny donut dunked in syrup. Golden balls, fried to crispy perfection, their surfaces glistening with a drizzle of fragrant rosewater syrup. Bite in, and the crunch gives way to a soft, yeasty interior, its sweetness subtle and inviting. Whether dusted with powdered sugar or simply kissed with syrup, these bite-sized treats offer a lot of textures and flavors in every morsel.

17- Date Cake

Date cake, a taste of warm sunshine in every bite, offers a delightful journey for your senses. A dense, moist cake with fragrant spices hugged with a silky caramel blanket sprinkled with nuts. With its simple ingredients and easy tinstructions no wonder this has been in the family for decades.

18- Orange Bundt Cake with Saffron

A citrus dream come true - fluffy bundt cake bursting with the vibrant zest and juicy sweetness of oranges with a hint of saffron. Every slice boasts a moist, tender crumb, infused with the sunshine glow of orange and saffron. Whether enjoyed warm with a cup of tea or savored at room temperature, this Orange Bundt Cake is a guaranteed mood-lifter, offering a taste of spring in every slice.

19- Nabuldi Tamriyeh

Nabuldi Tamriyeh, coming from the Palestinian city of Nablus, isn't your typical dessert. Thin layers of sweet, dough stacked like a delicate tower. Nestled within is a semolina pudding, cooked slowly with milk and sugar, offering a creamy, comforting heart. And the pièce de résistance? A generous sprinkling of powdered sugar and icing sugar, adding a touch of sweetness and elegance. Unlike its flashy cousins, Nabuldi Tamriyeh is a quiet charmer, its beauty in its simplicity and tradition. Enjoy it with a cup of strong Turkish coffee or Milk Tea and savor the taste of Nablus history and sweet indulgence in every bite.

20- Lokma

Lokma, hailing from the vibrant culinary tapestry of Turkey, is the cousine of the famous Greek Loukoumades. Tiny, golden spheres of deep-fried dough, impossibly light and airy, like miniature zeppelins floating on a cloud. Enjoy them with syrup, chocolate, powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar.

21- Maamoul Mad

Maamoul mad takes the beloved Middle Eastern cookie to a whole new level of indulgence with its ashta creamy filling. Classic maamoul with its buttery shells encasing a creamy, luxurious heart of ashta, a clotted cream infused with fragrant rose water or orange blossom water. Sprinkled with crushed pistachios, maamoul mad with ashta is a delicious combination of textures and flavors in every bite. Perfect for celebrating a special occasion or simply satisfying your sweet tooth.

22- Chocolate Covered Dates

Sweet and sophisticated treat - plump, juicy dates bathed in a layer of rich, decadent chocolate. Bite in, and the initial snap of the chocolate gives way to the soft, chewy flesh of the date with a crunch nutty surprise in the middle. Choose from dark chocolate for a luxurious, intense experience, or milk chocolate for a creamier, more familiar sweetness. These elegant treats are perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth without feeling overly indulgent, and they make for a beautiful and impressive gift too. So go ahead give these Chocolate Covered Dates a try, you won't be disappointed.

🍬 More Middle Eastern Desserts

Sweeten your journey through the vibrant flavors of the Middle East with some more delectable desserts!

23. Gers Ogili - bundt cake from Kuwait.
24. Semolina Cake with Cream.
25. Baklava Rolls.
26. Petit Fours Cookies.
27. Egyptian Kahk Cookies.
28. Lebanese Booza Ice Cream.
29. Egyptian Harissa.
30. Apricot Pudding.
31. Maamounia (Semolina Pudding).
32. Turkish Halwa (flour-based halva)
33. Znoud El Set
34. Layali Lubnan.
35. Ashta Fingers.
36. Persian Saffron Rice Pudding.
37. Chebab (Emirati pancakes)
38. Aish El Saray( bread of the palaces)
39. Namoura
40. Sfouf (turmeric Cake)
41. Lebanese Rice Pudding (riz bi haleeb)
42. Mesh Om Ali (Phyllo Milk PIE)

❤️ Why you'll love Middle Eastern Desserts

• Middle Eastern desserts are characterized by a wide range of ingredients that come together to create complex and indulgent flavors.
• They come with significant cultural importance, often being served during special occasions, religious holidays, and family gatherings.
• These traditional treats are not only delicious but also a testament to the skill and artistry of the chefs and home cooks who prepare them. From the meticulous layering of phyllo dough in baklava to the intricate shaping of ma'amoul cookies, these desserts require patience, precision, and a deep understanding of culinary techniques.

🌟 Feast your eyes; more Middle Eastern Dishes

Looking for more Middle Eastern food ideas? You're in the right place.

• Sambusa or Samosas are triangular shaped pastry filled with spicy vegetables or meat mixture. Very popular through the Middle East, India and many other countries.
• Chicken Mandi is a traditional Yemeni dish made of tender, slow-cooked chicken is spiced with a blend of aromatic spices and served on a bed of fragrant rice.
• Spice up your week with this easy Chicken Kabsa! Think juicy chicken, fluffy turmeric rice, and a whole lotta flavor - perfect for a casual feast.
• Zhoug sauce is a Middle Eastern sauce that is perfect for adding a burst of flavor to grilled meats, vegetables, or even a dip.
• Need more recipes from the Middle Eastern cuisine? I have a lot in the Middle Eastern Recipes category.
• You might as well want to check the most popular Egyptian Desserts you can ever find.
• From savory Iftar feasts bursting with flavor to sweet treats that end your fast on a delightful note, here are some Ramadan Recipes to inspire you for every meal.
• BEST Mexican Party Dishes to throw a celebration that everyone will remember. From tacos, casseroles, and dips to mocktails, crafts, and even decorations. There is something for everyone.