How-to guide
How to Make Chebakia — Sesame and Honey Ramadan Pastries
Chebakia are Morocco's intricate flower-shaped fried pastries, glistening with honey and sesame, made in great quantities for Ramadan and served alongside harira. A spiced sesame dough is rolled, cut, folded into a rose shape, deep-fried until crisp, then plunged into warm honey scented with orange blossom water and finally rolled in sesame seeds. They are fiddly and a labour of love, usually made communally. This guide breaks the process down clearly. For more sweets and celebration bakes, see our recipes index.
About 3 hours
Step by step
- 1
Make the spiced dough
Mix flour with ground toasted sesame, anise seed, cinnamon, a little turmeric for colour, orange blossom water, melted butter, a spoon of vinegar and yeast, then bring it together with warm water into a firm, smooth dough. Knead well, then let it rest so it is easier to roll thin.
- 2
Roll and cut
Roll the dough out thinly and cut it into rectangles, then make several parallel slits in each one, leaving the ends joined. A fluted cutter gives the traditional edge. Work with a little dough at a time and keep the rest covered so it does not dry out.
- 3
Fold the rose shape
Thread your fingers through alternate slits and fold the piece through itself, then pinch and twist the ends together to form the flower or rose shape. This folding takes practice, so do not worry if the first few are rough; the shape holds the honey beautifully.
- 4
Fry until golden
Heat oil for deep-frying to a moderate temperature and fry the pastries in batches until deep golden and crisp, turning them so they colour evenly. Do not rush the heat — too hot and they brown before cooking through, too cool and they soak up oil.
- 5
Soak in warm honey
Warm honey gently with a splash of orange blossom water until runny. Straight from the fryer, drain the pastries briefly, then plunge them into the warm honey and leave them to soak for several minutes so they drink it in. The temperature contrast helps them absorb the syrup.
- 6
Coat in sesame and cool
Lift the honey-soaked pastries out, letting the excess drip off, and sprinkle or roll them in toasted sesame seeds. Set them on a rack or plate to cool and set. Stored airtight, chebakia keep for weeks, growing stickier and more mellow as they rest.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Rolling the dough too thick, so the pastries are heavy rather than crisp.
- Frying too hot, browning the outside before the inside cooks.
- Soaking in honey that is too hot or too cool, so they absorb it poorly.
- Skipping the orange blossom water, which gives the classic fragrance.
- Not toasting the sesame, missing its nutty depth.
Tips from the kitchen
- Toast and grind some of the sesame into the dough for a deeper flavour.
- Keep unrolled dough covered so it stays supple while you shape each batch.
- Fry at a steady moderate heat so the pastries cook through and stay crisp.
- Plunge hot pastries into warm honey — the contrast helps them soak it up.
- Store chebakia airtight; they keep for weeks and are a Ramadan staple with harira.
Questions
When are chebakia eaten?
Above all during Ramadan, when they are made in large batches and served alongside harira to break the daily fast, their sweetness balancing the savoury soup. They also appear at weddings and celebrations. The honey and sesame make them energy-dense, which suits breaking a fast, and they keep well for the whole month.
Why are my chebakia not crisp?
Usually the dough was rolled too thick or the frying oil was not at the right temperature. Roll the dough thin, fry at a steady moderate heat so the pastries cook through without burning, and drain them before the honey soak. If they sit too long in honey they also soften, so time it.
How long do chebakia keep?
Several weeks in an airtight container, which is why they are made in bulk for Ramadan. The honey acts as a preservative and the flavour actually mellows and deepens over a few days. Keep them somewhere cool and dry, and separate layers with paper if they are very sticky.
What is the sticky coating on chebakia?
Warm honey, usually scented with orange blossom water, which the fried pastries are soaked in so they absorb it right through, followed by a coating of toasted sesame seeds. This glossy honey-and-sesame finish is what gives chebakia their characteristic sweet, sticky, fragrant character and their shine.
Learn it hands-on in Marrakech
Reading is one thing; doing it beside a local host is another. Book a Marrakech cooking class, or explore the medina on a guided food tour.