Diamond-shaped semolina pastries filled with sweet date paste, fried and soaked in honey syrup, a beloved Tunisian holiday sweet.
Tunisian Makroudh is a real, traditional Tunisian dish, known as Semolina Date Pastries. Diamond-shaped semolina pastries filled with sweet date paste, fried and soaked in honey syrup, a beloved Tunisian holiday sweet.\n\nMakroudh has roots across the Maghreb region, with Tunisia's version particularly associated with the city of Kairouan, traditionally made in large batches for celebrations like Eid and family gatherings.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Tunisian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.
Serves 16
Combine semolina, melted butter and salt, then gradually add warm water, kneading until a soft, pliable dough forms. Rest for 30 minutes.
Mix mashed dates with cinnamon until smooth and pliable.
Roll the dough into a log, flatten, and place a rope of date paste along the center; fold the dough around it to fully enclose the filling into a long log.
Flatten the filled log slightly and cut on a diagonal into diamond shapes.
Fry the diamonds in oil heated to 170°C (340°F) for about 4 minutes per side until golden.
Simmer honey, water and orange blossom water together for 5 minutes, then submerge the warm fried pastries in the syrup for a few minutes until well soaked. Drain and serve.
Rest the semolina dough fully before shaping — this allows the grains to hydrate and makes the dough much easier to work with.
Soften the dates thoroughly, using warm water if needed, so they mash into a smooth, spreadable paste rather than staying chunky.
Soak the fried pastries in warm syrup while both are still warm for the best absorption.
Some households bake makroudh instead of frying for a lighter version, though the texture differs.
Add chopped walnuts to the date filling for extra texture.
Use rosewater instead of orange blossom water in the syrup for a different floral note.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.
Makroudh has roots across the Maghreb region, with Tunisia's version particularly associated with the city of Kairouan, traditionally made in large batches for celebrations like Eid and family gatherings.
Yes, bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 20 minutes until golden, then soak in syrup the same way; the texture will be a bit less rich than the fried version.
It likely needs more resting time to hydrate fully, or a touch more water — the dough should feel soft and pliable, not dry and crumbly.
Yes, they keep well for a week or more at room temperature once soaked in syrup, since the syrup acts as a natural preservative.
Per serving (60g / 2.1 oz) · 16 servings total
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