7 Moroccan Desserts to Try When Visiting

One of the world’s most favoured cuisines, Morocco is home to a wealth of tempting flavour combinations, both sweet and savoury.

Diverse and delicious, the influence on dishes can be felt across the globe, and during a visit to this unique country, you’ll be welcomed to sensational foodie delights.

The variety, seasoning, and fresh and abundant ingredients available make this a destination like no other. Mouth-watering smells fill the streets, while your eyes are rewarded with bright and colourful sizzling plates!

If Morocco is on your holiday bucket list, here’s a handful of the tasty desserts to try while you’re in the country.

Stuffed Dates

There are hundreds of varieties of dates grown in Morocco; the warm climate in the south of the country provides the perfect growing conditions for the palm to thrive and fruit.

Each type brings a unique flavour to this sweet treat, and if you become fond of them during your visit, you don’t need to travel far to find them! They are particularly popular during Ramadan, as many people choose a glass of milk and a couple of dates to break their daily fasting.

Savoury and sweet stuffed dates are available, but for those searching for a sugary fix, opt for the classic almond filling, it’s a firm favourite amongst the locals.

Almond Briouats

Almond Briouats are the quintessential Moroccan treat. They are to Moroccans what the classic Victoria sandwich sponge is to those in the UK.

This iconic dessert is a family-favourite, and it frequently appears on dinner tables during Ramadan and for special occasions.

Indulgent and Moreish

Be warned – it’s indulgent and moreish! An almond paste, typically flavoured with sweet cinnamon and orange water is wrapped in paper-thin pastry sheets.

A triangular shape is formed through folding, which contains the delicious filling inside. The pastry is then fried in piping hot oil until they turn a warm golden colour. They’re then dipped in liquid honey for finger-licking deliciousness!

Chebakia – Sesame Cookies

Made from strips of rolled dough, you’re likely to fall in love with this sweet, rich and stodgy dessert. The dough is flavoured with spices, deep-fried and then covered in honey, with the final touch being a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Accompanied with a Cup of Fresh Moroccan Mint Tea

Eaten as a snack and offered to visiting friends and family, many households in Morocco will have some chebakia in the cupboard! The crunchy and chewy treat is usually accompanied by a cup of fresh Moroccan mint tea.

Sellou (Sfouf or Zmita)

Almonds, sesame and a mix of delicious flavourings are used to create the pyramid-shaped Sellou. This high energy, sweet snack is a go-to during Ramadan, as well as being a top choice for nursing mothers. It’s rich, nutritious and delicious! Perfect for when you’re in need of a (relatively) healthy pick-me-up.

The ingredients used to make Sellou vary depending on the region of Morocco and the family recipe used to create them. In some circumstances, it can be a controversial topic as to which ingredients should go into them, and at what quantity. Despite this variation, each that you try is likely to be tasty, rich and filling!

Halwa dyal Makina – Piped Biscuits

To create these sensational dough-based treats, the mixed ingredients are passed through a meat grinder with a fluted tip. It’s the tip that gives them the iconic spiral shape, but if you’d like to try making them when you return from your visit, a cookie press or pastry bag will do the job!

Being both buttery and crumbling, they have a shortbread texture. Pair this with each end being dipped in chocolate, and you’re in for a sugary treat!

Moroccan Coconut Snowball Cookies

Offering a truly authentic taste of Morocco, these traditional cookies mix apricot jam, orange blossom and coconut for what is a bitesize pleasure.

Consisting of two vanilla-flavoured cookies which are stuck together using an apricot jam and then rolled in coconut, they will more than fulfil your sweet craving!

Despite traditional recipes favouring the use of coconut, in Morocco, almond is often used as an alternative as it is more readily available.

Sfenj – Moroccan Doughnuts

Sfenj is similar in shape, consistency and taste to a traditional doughnut. They’re made from an unsweetened dough which is carefully shaped into a ring and then deep-fried. Once the surface has turned a tempting golden colour, they’re removed and dusted with sugar and on occasion, cinnamon.

You’ll find Sfenj being freshly cooked in the streets of towns and cities by vendors. If you’re looking for a filling and indulgent treat, this one is for you!

Are you planning on visiting Morocco and enjoying a culinary tour of the country? Why not take a look these savoury Moroccan dishes to try before tucking into some of the sweet treats we’ve highlighted above?

If you’re longing to admire the Atlas Mountains or the incredible beauty of the dunes of the Sahara Desert, our desert experience might be for you! Have a look at what could be your next lifetime adventure.