Ingredients & pantry
What is amlou?
- Made of
- Almonds, argan oil, honey
- Nickname
- 'Berber Nutella'
- Eaten at
- Breakfast, with bread
- From
- Argan region, S Morocco
Quick answer
Amlou is a thick, sweet Moroccan spread made from three things: roasted almonds ground to a paste, culinary argan oil, and honey. Nutty, glossy and mildly sweet, it's eaten at breakfast dipped or spread on bread, and is often nicknamed 'Berber Nutella'. It comes from the argan-growing south and is a beloved way to enjoy edible argan oil.
Three ingredients, pure pleasure
Amlou is proof that Moroccan cooking can be luxurious with almost nothing. It's made from just three ingredients: almonds, roasted and ground until they release their oils into a smooth paste; culinary argan oil, which brings its unmistakable toasted-nutty richness; and honey to sweeten and bind. Blended together, they make a thick, glossy, pourable spread the colour of caramel, tasting of toasted almonds and honey with the deep nuttiness of argan running through it. Our amlou recipe shows the exact ratios.
It's easy to see why it's nicknamed 'Berber Nutella' — it occupies the same delicious, spreadable, breakfast-treat niche — but the comparison undersells it. Amlou is more grown-up: less sweet, more nutty, and built on one of Morocco's rarest ingredients.
Where it comes from
Amlou is a speciality of the Amazigh (Berber) south — the argan belt around Agadir, Essaouira, Taroudant and the Souss valley — because that's where argan oil is made. It grew out of the same women's-cooperative culture that produces edible argan: having the precious oil on hand, cooks combined it with local almonds and honey into an energy-dense, keep-able spread ideal for a hardworking rural breakfast.
That heritage means the best amlou is found in and around the argan region, and an argan and amlou tour or a cooperative visit is the ideal place to taste it made fresh, alongside the oil it depends on.
How it's eaten
Amlou is above all a breakfast food. It's set out with fresh bread — Moroccan khobz, flaky msemen or semolina harcha — for dipping or spreading, usually with a pot of honey and olive or argan oil nearby, and washed down with mint tea. On a Moroccan breakfast table it sits among the sweet options as the richest, most indulgent choice. See our answer on what Moroccans eat for breakfast for the full spread.
It's also given as a gift and a treat for guests, and modern cafés serve it with pancakes. Because it's calorie-dense and nourishing, it was traditionally valued for giving energy and, in folk belief, strength.
Making and buying it
Real amlou depends on real culinary argan oil, so the same buying cautions apply: seek out cooperative or specialist sources, and be wary of cheap versions that stretch it with other oils or peanuts. Fresh amlou should smell strongly of toasted almond and argan and taste rich, not flat.
It's genuinely fun to make in a class — grinding the almonds, tasting the argan, balancing the honey — so a market-to-table cooking class or a bread and msemen workshop that pairs amlou with fresh flatbread is a lovely way in. The argan oil guide has more on the ingredient at its heart.
Related questions
What is amlou made of?
Three things: roasted almonds ground to a paste, culinary argan oil and honey. Some versions add a little of other nuts, but the classic is almond, argan and honey.
Does amlou taste like Nutella?
It occupies the same spreadable-breakfast-treat role, hence the nickname, but it's nuttier, less sweet and has no chocolate. It tastes of toasted almonds, honey and argan oil.
Is amlou healthy?
It's made from whole, natural ingredients — nuts, argan oil and honey — rich in unsaturated fats, vitamin E and protein. It's also calorie-dense, so it's enjoyed in modest amounts as a treat.
How do you eat amlou?
Mostly at breakfast, dipped or spread on bread, msemen or harcha, alongside mint tea. It's also served to guests and used as a filling or topping in modern cafés.