It’s finally here, my dear friends: Chebakia! This cookie is an absolute essential during Ramadan and is the ideal pairing to your bowl of Harira soup. In this recipe post, I will try to guide you as carefully as possible to help you make the best Homemade Chebakia you can make at home. This is not a speedy or easy recipe by any means, but it is the simplest version I could come up with to make Chebakia at home. Chebakia requires lots of practice so I will include a lot of troubleshooting tips and tricks to give you the best chances for success.
Let’s do this!
What is Chebakia?
Put simply, Chebakia is a fried cookie that is then soaked in honey. The pastry dough resembles a pasta dough and is usually shaped in a way to resemble a flower. Chebakia is enormously popular during the month of Ramadan where most Moroccans like to break their fast with a bowl of Harira, some dates and of course, Chebakia.
These cookies appear on every Ramadan table in Morocco. They're often sold in advance of the holiday but if you don't have access, try making them yourself! Don't be intimidated by the long instruction list; I attempted to explain in detail to make it easier.
Picture this: you’re wandering through the bustling souks of Marrakech as the sun begins to set during Ramadan. The air is filled with the intoxicating aroma of orange blossom water, sesame seeds, and golden honey. Your eyes catch sight of glistening, flower-shaped pastries arranged like edible jewelry in bakery windows. These aren’t just any sweets - they’re chebakia, Morocco’s most beloved Ramadan treat that has been gracing iftar tables for centuries.
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I’ll never forget my first encounter with authentic chebakia in a tiny family-run patisserie in Fes. The elderly baker, his hands dusted with flour and his eyes twinkling with pride, handed me a still-warm piece. As I bit into the crispy, honey-soaked layers, I understood why this intricate pastry holds such a special place in Moroccan hearts. Today, I’m sharing everything you need to know about creating these golden treasures in your own kitchen.
Ingredient List
Chebakia is sweet and savory pastry. To get the flavors just right you will need to rely on a delicate balance of spices and aromatics. Here is the full ingredient list:
- 2/3 cup or 100g of Toasted Sesame Seeds: This is the flavor base of your pastry. Sesame seeds have a very rich and deep flavor that contrasts very well with the spices that we are going to use to make this cookie.
- 1/3 cup or 50g of Raw Almonds: Almonds provide texture to the crust. They will make your cookie a little more chewy and add strength to your dough.
- 4 cups or 500g of All-purpose flour: This is the base of any pastry/cookie. Make sure you sift your flour before using.
- Spice mix: We are using 1/2 tsp of ground fennel seeds, 1/2 tsp turmeric (for color), 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp of instant yeast: Yeast is not essential to this dough, however, it will make it a lot easier to work with.
- 1 tsp baking powder: Will help your pastry dough get puffy and airy once it’s frying in the oil.
- 1 tbsp. white vinegar: plays a crucial role in the leavening process. As your pastries hit the oil, the will rise for a first time because of the heat, and for a second time because of the acidity in the vinegar. Don’t skip this ingredient, it’s very important.
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil + 3 tbsp. room temp butter (100ml total): I like to use a mixture of butter and oil and not just oil. Butter has a melting temperature that is just under the human body temperature, which gives baked goods that melt in your mouth feeling when you bite through them. Trust me, use butter.
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp. orange blossom water (100 ml): This is one of the most important ingredients as it contrasts very well with the deep flavors of sesame and the spices we used. Orange blossom water has a very floral flavor profile and is a staple in Moroccan baking.
- 1/3 cup lukewarm water (about 80 ml-90 ml). As you can probably tell from the ratio of liquid to dry, this is a very tough dough that is closer to pasta dough than a cookie dough. For that reason, I highly recommend that you use either a food processor or a stand mixer to make your dough.
How To Make Moroccan Chebakia
Chebakia is Moroccan Sesame-based fried pastry. It is traditionally shaped in a way to resemble a flower and often served with Harira during the month of Ramadan
CHEBAKIA PATISSERIE MAROCAINE + TECHNIQUE PLIAGE MOROCCAN PASTRY CHEBAKIA + FOLDING TECHNIQUE
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Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup of Toasted Sesame Seeds
- 1/3 cup of Raw Almonds
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ground Fennel Seeds
- 1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp. granulated sugar.
- 1/4 tsp of instant yeast
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp. white vinegar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp. room temp butter
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp orange blossom water
- 1/3 cup lukewarm water
For Frying and Honey Glaze:
- 1 liter vegetable oil
- 1 kg Honey
Making the dough:
- Place your toasted sesame seeds along with your almonds in your food processor and blend until you get fine crumbly texture. The natural oils from your seeds and almonds will make the mixture slightly moister as seen in the picture above.
- Add your flour, spices, butter, oil, sugar, baking powder, yeast and vinegar.
- Blend again until you get a very fine sandy-like texture. All your ingredients should be very well incorporated at this point. Add in your Orange Blossom water and close the lid on your food processor.
- Start blending again and gradually add your water until the dough comes together. Your dough should be very crumbly and should not be sticky or moist. Take it out of your food processor and shape it into a rough looking ball.
- Wrap your dough ball in plastic and let it rest for15-20 minutes.
To make my dough, I have used a food processor as it makes the whole process so much easier. As stated above, you can also use a stand mixer or a large bowl.
If you are doing this stage by hand (you’re going to need a regular blender for your seeds and almonds), here is what you need to do:
- In a blender, add your almonds and seeds and blend until you get a fine crumbly texture.
- Move your mixture to a large bowl and add your flour, spices, butter, oil, sugar, baking powder, yeast and vinegar.
- Roughly mix all ingredients together. Using the palms of your hands press the ingredients together until you get a fine crumbly mixture. Take your time to do this step as it is very important that the fats from the butter and oil are very well incorporated into the dough to ensure that your chebakia comes out soft and chewy.
- Add your Orange blossom water and mix again. Now slowly add in your water and knead until you form you dough. Make sure that the water is fully incorporated into the mixture and that dough has evenly absorbed it.
- Wrap your dough ball in plastic and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
Working the dough:
- Divide into 4 and roll each part until it is about 15-"17" long. Fold it on itself like an envelope, cover in plastic and let it rest for about 5 minutes. The purpose of this step is to shape the dough into a squarish shape to help us with the final roll.
- After 5 minutes, take one dough square and put it on your working surface envelope side down. Roll your dough to a long rectangle shape until it gets to 1-2 mm thickness. The width of the dough should be around 7"-8". Using a knife, remove the uneven edges to ensure that you have a perfect rectangle.
- Divide your dough in half, lengthwise and set aside.
Shaping the Chebakia:
- Using a pastry wheel, make four evenly spaced cuts lengthwise. These cuts should should not cut through to the edges of the dough and should leave about 1/4" on each side. The fifth cut should cut all the through to mark the end of the rectangle. If done correctly, your rectangles will each have five strips of attached dough.
- Grab one rectangle and slide your index finger under the first, third and fifth strip. Pinch together the ends of your rectangle around the tip of your index finger.
- Keep holding on to the pinched tips and carefully remove your index finger. Pass The pinched tips through the space where your index finger used to be and carefully pull the pinched ends to form the center of your flower.
- Pinch the end pieces together and gently pull them outward. Cut off the excess using a pair of scissors.
- Once you would have formed all of your cookies, make cover and let them rest for at least 30 minutes. This is a crucial step as the longer they rest, the better they will hold their shape once in the frying pan.
This is definitely the trickiest part of the entire process. Take your time, don’t get frustrated, the more you this the better you will get.
Frying and glazing:
- Heat up a pan to medium-high and add 1L of frying oil to it. Fry your Chebakia for at least 3-4 minutes or until golden brown like shown in the picture. Make sure to flip your Chebakia after 1-2 minutes of frying. If you like your Chebakia to be less dark, then fry for about 2-3 minutes maximum.
- Dunk your Chebakia in a pot of room-temp honey. Let them sit there for about 4-5minutes
- Remove from honey pot and place on parchment paper.
- Add another drizzle of honey and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Chebakia Folding Styles
Here are three different basic forms of Chebakia folds: square cut in six stripes attached on the edges, long single stripes, and a round disc cookie cutter form. From these shapes, I’ll show you two folding options for each. First I’ll show you the way of cutting the dough like one of the above. Then I’ll walk you through the folding options.
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1. Square Folds
These square folds of the chebakia are the most common ones.
- On a lightly floured work surface roll the dough to a square shape about 30 x 30 cm (12 x 12 inches). Cut with the pastry wheel cutter about 8 centimetre squares. Inside the square cut lengthwise five cuts evenly spaced. Do not cut through to the edges of the square, cuts should be only almost the length of the square.
- Do a zig-zag fold with the square: fold the first two strips on the top of the two strips in the middle. Flip over and fold the remaining two strips on the rest.
- Grasp the outer corners of the first layer and pinch them together with your fingertips. Then turn the chebakia upside down. Separate the two stripes from the bottom layer to the sides revealing the floral fold in the middle. Pinch together the outer corners of the chebakia. Make sure you have pinched the ends well.
Tip: If you want to upgrade this one still, you can cut the square shape, in the beginning, to even more than six strips of dough, let’s say eight or ten, always an even number. Just make sure that your dough stays cool so that the strips will not break.
2. Long Strip Folds
The second folding styles are made with long strips. Try to cut even strips to prevent the strips from tearing apart.
- On a lightly floured work surface roll the dough to a square shape about 30 x 30 cm (12 x 12 inches). Take one long strip and fold it in four, to get a pile of four strips about 8 cm long.
- Pinch the ends together and turn on the side. With the tip of the knife separate the strips and unevenly pinch together two strips in the middle to create an uneven 8-figure.
Tip: The chebakia will open and get deformed when you start frying if you have not pinched the strips of dough well together.
3. Round Disc Folds
The chebakia folding is generally very time-consuming. The last folds I have in this guide are easy and quick ones.
- Fold the disc in two unevenly, so that you can see both layers. Grasp the corners and pinch them together.
Tip: If you have a cookie cutter with decorative edges - now is the perfect time to use it!
Troubleshooting Tips
- My dough is a too hard and I can’t roll it properly: make sure that you let your dough rest long enough for the gluten to relax. If you have a pasta roller, you can use it to make this process even easier.
- My Chebakia opened up and completely fell apart in the frying pan: you need to let your chebakia rest longer once shaped to ensure that it holds it shape. Always fry with the first ones you shaped to allow even more resting time to the other one.
- My Chebakia is taking a long time time to cook: Make sure that you do not over-crowd the pan. Only fry 4-6 at a time to maintain the temperature of your oil.
Storage Tips
- How do I store my Chebakia? Once cooled down and drizzled, store in an airtight container. Make sure you drizzle it again with honey before you put away for good. Your Chebakia should keep for at least 1 week. After that, it will begin to dry up. It will still be safe to consume, and taste good, but it will not be anywhere as good.
- Can I freeze my Chebakia? Yes. Once you shape your flowers, you can freeze your chebakia. My advice is cover the Chebakia tray with film and freeze. Then, remove from freezer and place into Ziplocs and back in the freezer. This will ensure that your Chebakia will hold its shape in the Ziploc bags.
Extended Content and Serving Suggestions
Chebakia shines brightest when served as part of a traditional Moroccan iftar spread. Pair them with a steaming bowl of harira soup, fresh dates, and mint tea for the complete experience. They also make elegant accompaniments to coffee or as the grand finale to a North African dinner party.
For a modern twist, try serving them alongside vanilla ice cream or with a dollop of mascarpone cheese. The temperature contrast creates an incredibly satisfying dessert experience.
Storage Tips
Fresh chebakia should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature where they’ll maintain their texture for up to one week. Never refrigerate them, as this will make the honey coating sticky and unpleasant. If they lose their crispness, a few minutes in a 300°F oven will restore their crunch.
For longer storage, you can freeze the shaped but unfired chebakia for up to three months. Fry them straight from frozen, adding an extra minute to the cooking time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I bake chebakia instead of frying?
A: While traditional chebakia is always fried, you can brush them with melted butter and bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes. The texture will be different but still delicious.
Q: My chebakia came out too hard. What went wrong?
A: This usually means the oil was too hot or they cooked too long. The dough should puff slightly when it hits the oil and turn golden gradually.
Q: Can I make them without orange blossom water?
A: While it won’t be authentic chebakia, you can substitute with orange zest and a bit more vanilla. The flavor profile will be different but still pleasant.
Q: How do I know if my oil is the right temperature without a thermometer?
A: Drop a small piece of dough into the oil. It should sizzle immediately and rise to the surface. If it browns within 30 seconds, your oil is too hot.
Cultural Context and Modern Adaptations
Chebakia’s story begins in the medieval kitchens of Morocco, where Berber, Arab, and Andalusian culinary traditions merged to create something truly extraordinary. The name itself comes from the Arabic word “shabakat,” meaning “net” or “network,” referring to the pastry’s distinctive latticed appearance that resembles delicate lacework.
These honey-drenched roses aren’t just desserts - they’re edible symbols of Moroccan hospitality and tradition. For centuries, chebakia has been the crown jewel of Ramadan iftar spreads, alongside harira soup and dates. The intricate folding technique required to create their signature shape has been passed down through generations of Moroccan mothers and grandmothers, making each family’s version slightly unique.
During the reign of the Alaouite dynasty, chebakia became so synonymous with Ramadan that sultans would distribute them to the poor as acts of charity. Today, you’ll find these golden beauties not just during the holy month, but at weddings, religious celebrations, and any occasion that calls for something truly special.
In contemporary Morocco, chebakia has evolved beyond its traditional Ramadan boundaries. Modern Moroccan patisseries now offer miniature versions for elegant tea service, and some innovative bakers have created gluten-free versions using almond flour. However, purists argue that nothing beats the original recipe passed down through generations.
The social aspect of chebakia preparation remains unchanged - it’s still a communal activity where mothers, daughters, and neighbors gather to fold, fry, and share stories.
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