Flower-shaped fried cookies dipped in warm honey and coated in toasted sesame seeds, a Ramadan classic across Morocco.
Chebakia are the cookie most associated with Ramadan in Morocco, appearing on nearly every table each evening to break the fast alongside harira soup, their shape twisted into flower-like rosettes before frying. The dough is spiced with cinnamon, saffron and orange blossom water, rolled thin, cut into strips, and shaped by hand into loops before being deep-fried until golden and delicately crisp. While still hot, the fried cookies are dunked immediately into warm honey and then rolled in toasted sesame seeds, the honey soaking in as it cools to give chebakia its signature sticky, deeply sweet finish.
Serves 8
Combine flour, cinnamon, saffron, baking powder and salt, then work in orange blossom water, oil, egg and enough warm water to form a firm, smooth dough.
Knead the dough thoroughly for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic; rest covered for 20 minutes.
Roll the dough thin, about 1/8 inch, and cut into strips roughly 4 inches by 1.5 inches, making 3-4 lengthwise slits in each strip without cutting through the ends.
Weave the strip through its own slits and gently pull to open it into a rosette or flower shape.
This shaping takes practice — it's fine if the first several look imperfect; the flavor is unaffected.
Fry the shaped cookies in batches in hot oil (350F/175C) until deep golden, 3-4 minutes, turning to color evenly.
Gently warm the honey with orange blossom water in a wide pan (do not boil).
Drop the hot fried cookies directly into the warm honey, turning to coat, then transfer immediately to a tray of toasted sesame seeds and turn to coat generously.
Fry the cookies until genuinely golden, not just pale — under-fried chebakia turns soggy once soaked in honey.
Warm the honey gently rather than boiling it; overheated honey turns thick and grainy once cooled.
Coat the cookies in sesame seeds while the honey is still warm and tacky, or the seeds won't stick properly.
Some families add a few tablespoons of toasted ground almonds to the dough for extra richness.
Chebakia keeps improving for a few days as the honey fully soaks in, so many households make large batches ahead of Ramadan.
A simplified version skips the intricate flower shaping and simply twists the strips into loose knots.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks — chebakia is designed to keep well, and the flavor actually deepens over the first several days.
Chebakia has been a fixture of Moroccan Ramadan tables for generations, its elaborate flower shape traditionally seen as a mark of a skilled home cook, with large batches often prepared communally by women ahead of the holy month.
Yes, it will lose some color and aroma, but the dish still works; some cooks substitute a pinch of turmeric for color alone.
Simply twist the strip into a loose knot or pretzel shape — the taste is unaffected by the exact shape.
They were likely under-fried — fry until deeply golden throughout, not just lightly colored, for proper crispness.
Per serving (60g / 2.1 oz) · 8 servings total
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