Chebakia: Morocco’s favourite Ramadan dessert

There’s a particular smell that wafts through Moroccan streets come Ramadan: a hypnotic blend of orange blossom, toasted sesame, and hot, bubbling honey. Follow your nose, and it’ll likely lead you to a pile of golden, glistening spirals stacked high behind a bakery window or handed over by the dozen in a crinkly paper bag. That, my friend, is chebakia. Sticky, sweet, spiced, and utterly irresistible.

Chebakia (also known as shebakia, mkharka, or griwech in some places) is Morocco’s answer to the question, “What if a cookie was also a flower, and also a fried pastry, and also drenched in syrup?” It’s the kind of treat that refuses to be categorised neatly, which only makes it more charming.

The roots of chebakia go back centuries, with some saying it’s Andalusian in origin, others swearing by Berber ancestry. What we do know is that it’s a mainstay of Ramadan tables, where it’s typically served alongside harira, Morocco’s legendary tomato and lentil soup. Chebakia keeps spirits up and energy flowing when fasting days are long and hot, thanks to its sugar-drenched, sesame-laden energy boost.

Chebakia is instantly recognisable by its unique shape, like a twisted flower or a well-wound pinwheel. The dough is rolled, folded, pinched, and coaxed into rosette-like shapes before being deep fried to golden perfection. Once crisp, it takes a luxurious plunge into warm honey infused with orange blossom water, then gets showered with sesame seeds for the final flourish. It’s a labour of love, usually made in batches that could easily feed a small army or a very greedy group of aunties.

There are regional twists, naturally. In Fez, they might be crunchier, with a heavier hand on the anise and cinnamon. Down south in Marrakech, you might find softer versions, more honey-soaked and chewy. Some recipes sneak in almonds, others swap out the honey for date syrup. The core idea remains: fried, spiced dough, lovingly drowned in something sticky.

Chebakia’s secret weapon is its unapologetic richness. It doesn’t shy away from flavour or texture. There’s the earthy warmth of cinnamon and turmeric, the floral zing of orange blossom, the nutty crunch of sesame, and the deep, deep sweetness of the honey. It hits every note, often all at once.

Now, what to drink with it? The classic pairing is a good glass of Moroccan mint tea, sweet and sharp enough to cut through all that syrupy indulgence. If you’re going for full sensory overload, try a strong coffee—preferably spiced with cardamom—or even a chilled glass of almond milk. For non-caffeine fans, a cold glass of freshly squeezed orange juice works wonders.

Chebakia’s best mate on the food table is, of course, harira. But it also sidles up nicely next to dried fruits like dates and figs, roasted almonds, or even a scoop of plain yoghurt if you’re in a fusion kind of mood. Some people have been known to crumble it over ice cream, and honestly, we’re not mad at that.

Now, a word on health: chebakia is not health food. Let’s not pretend. It’s fried, it’s soaked in honey, it’s heavy on the carbs. But it is vegan (surprise!) and packed with sesame seeds, which do bring some calcium, healthy fats, and magnesium to the party. Plus, during Ramadan, it offers that fast-breaking jolt of energy your body is crying out for.

You can find chebakia everywhere in Morocco during Ramadan. It’s market stalls, bakeries, auntie kitchens, and supermarket aisles all suddenly become chebakia central. Outside of Ramadan, it’s a bit more elusive but still shows up at weddings, religious holidays, or wherever there’s a good excuse for a little excess. If you’re not in Morocco, some Middle Eastern or North African grocery shops might carry it, or you can always have a go at making your own. Which brings us to…

Chebakia Recipe: Moroccan Sesame-Honey Rosettes

You’ll need:

For the dough:

• 500g plain flour
• 1 egg
• 125ml melted butter or oil (or a mix of both)
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground anise
• 1 tsp ground fennel
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp orange blossom water
• Water (enough to bring the dough together, about 100ml)

For the finishing:

• 500g honey
• 2 tbsp orange blossom water
• 100g sesame seeds, toasted
• Oil for deep frying

Toast your sesame seeds first and set aside. Mix all the dough ingredients until you get a soft but firm dough. Knead it for a good 10 minutes until smooth, then cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough quite thin—think pasta thin. Cut into rectangles (roughly 10x6cm). Make 4 or 5 slits in the middle of each rectangle, lengthwise, without cutting the edges. Now for the origami: weave the strips through each other by pulling alternate strips through the centre, making a sort of flower shape.

Heat oil in a deep pan until it’s hot but not smoking. Fry the chebakia until golden brown and crisp. Remove and immediately dunk them into warm honey mixed with orange blossom water. Let them soak for a few minutes. Lift them out, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and let them cool on a wire rack. Ideally with some baking paper underneath because it gets… sticky.

Enjoy within a week, if they last that long. Spoiler alert: they won’t.