15 Best Moroccan Desserts (+ Easy Recipes)

Moroccan desserts are full of so much wonderful flavor.

From aromatic spices such as anise, nutmeg, cinnamon, to ingredients such as pistachios, dates, and almonds, these treats are delicious and unique.

Apart from robust ingredients, Moroccan cuisine also incorporates French techniques for cooking.

Don’t be surprised to see French pastries such as crepes, eclairs, and croissants when you’re in Morocco!

But if you’re looking for more traditional confections, you have come to the right place.

These delectable Moroccan desserts will bring new flavors to the table, and they’re guaranteed to bring joy to your palate. 

1. Moroccan Lemon Cake

Let’s start off this list with something easy. Meskouta, or Moroccan cake, is a simple cake that’s light and packed with flavor.

Infused with lemon and frosted with a sweet lemon glaze, this meskouta is a sweet and zesty way to end your meal.

The best part? This cake is super easy to make! Prep time only takes a few minutes, and the rest is up to the oven.

You can serve it warm, too, which means there’s no need to wait several hours before you get to enjoy a slice.

2. Maamoul (Arabian Date Filled Cookies)

Maamoul cookies are incredibly soft cookies filled with dates. They’re low in sugar, but the sweetness of the dates more than makes up for it.

Apart from the flavor, what sets these cookies apart is their melt-in-your-mouth consistency. Trust me, one cookie won’t be enough.

Maamoul cookies are traditionally served during Eid or the end of Ramadan. But they’re a breeze to make, so feel free to make them anytime.

3. Moroccan Almond Snake Pastry

M’hancha is a Moroccan pastry popular for its iconic shape.

The snake-shaped treat is made from almond paste, giving it such a wonderful nutty flavor and aroma.

Dusted with powdered sugar or smeared with warm honey and almond slices, m’hancha can be eaten both as a dessert and a breakfast dish.

M’hancha is traditionally large, so one is enough to serve a crowd. People would simply break parts of the coil and enjoy!

4. Almond Crescent Cookies

Ghriba is a soft and sweet crescent-shaped almond cookie.

The cinnamon topping complements beautifully with the almonds, giving you adorable and addictive treats.

Just like maamoul, almond crescent cookies are also insanely soft that they melt in your mouth.

So if you decide to make these for your next party, be sure to double the batch. They’re guaranteed to disappear in minutes.

5. Baklava

Baklava is perhaps the most popular Moroccan dessert, and it’s no wonder why. This sweet and crisp confection is happiness in a bite!

Baklava is composed of layers of crisp and flaky pastry, sweet honey and lemon glaze, and a walnut-cinnamon filling.

The combination of different flavors and textures creates a wonderful explosion in the mouth. Shaped into diamonds, baklava is truly a gem. 

6. Moroccan Mint Tea

Moroccan mint tea is the best beverage to pair with these sinful desserts!

The blend of green tea and mint creates a warming and cooling sensation that’s absolutely phenomenal. It’s the ultimate morning and afternoon drink!

Best of all, Moroccan mint tea is very easy to prepare. There’s no need for fancy ethnic ingredients to pull this off.

All you need are green tea, water, sugar, and mint and you’ll be able to enjoy this wonderfully refreshing treat.

7. Almond Briouat

If you’re looking for the perfect tea time biscuit, look no further. Briouat is the clear winner.

Almond briouat is a fantastic confection made of almond paste, cinnamon, and orange flower water.

These triangular deep-fried treats are finished with a coating of honey, making them even sweeter.

These pastries have the most terrific combination of flavors. Paired with a cup of hot tea, they’re the ultimate afternoon treat.

8. Moroccan Chebakia (Sesame and Honey Cookies)

Chebakia is another Moroccan cookie that looks just as amazing as it tastes.

The dough is shaped into a flower and deep-fried into golden perfection.

The cookies are then coated in honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds for even more flavor. 

It’s a tedious process, so chebakia are often reserved for special occasions.

But just by looking at how gorgeous they are, you already can already tell they’re worth the effort. 

9. Moroccan Beghrir (Semolina Honeycomb Pancakes)

Beghrir is the Moroccan version of the classic pancake. Unlike our pancakes, beghrir is spongier and so soft it melts in your mouth. 

It’s made from semolina and infused with yeast, giving it such a wonderfully unique look, flavor, and texture. 

While beghrir is easy to make, you’ll need to measure your batter to make sure it forms those iconic bubbles.

10. Ghoriba

Ghoriba are Middle Eastern cookies made from flour, almonds, sugar, and butter.

They come in different varieties – some chewy, others crumbly – but they all taste fantastic. They’re especially good paired with coffee or tea.

You can make them with just the ingredients above, or add more almonds for a wonderful crunch.

11. Moroccan Fruit Salad

Morocco’s version of classic fruit salad calls for fresh bananas, strawberries, apples, and oranges.

Coated in sweet and tangy vanilla yogurt, it’s a super refreshing treat that’s perfect for cleansing your palate after a heavy meal. 

12. Sellou

Sellou is a no-bake confection made of sesame seeds, almonds, and cooked flour.

Being a calorie- and nutrient-dense treat, sellou is often given to moms post-childbirth to help them restore their energy. 

13. Cinnamon Oranges

This very easy dessert calls for topping sliced oranges with cinnamon. It’s such a simple concept, but it yields the most flavorful and addictive treat. 

The combination of the sweet and tart orange plus spicy cinnamon creates such a wonderful harmony of flavors.

14. Sfenj: Moroccan Doughnuts or Fritters

Sfenj is Morocco’s take on donuts, and it’s sinfully delicious.

Leavened dough is shaped into rings and deep-fried into golden perfection. They’re crisp on the outside and chewy and fluffy on the inside.

To flavor the donuts, all you need is a simple dusting of sugar.

15. Halwa dyal Makina – Piped Moroccan Biscuits With Chocolate

Halwa dyal makina is a churro-shaped cookie with its ends dipped in chocolate.

The batter is made of cornflour, which tastes amazing paired with chocolate!