Morocco is known as one of the best places in the world to get spices and exotic foods, and the country has no shortage of delicious sweets to go along with them. Traditional Moroccan sweets are usually made from ingredients such as locally sourced honey, dates, cinnamon, figs, oranges, and roses, then artfully created with skills honed from centuries of practice.
As anybody who has wandered through the country’s souks will tell you, sweets are also easy to find, which is great for travelers with a sugar addiction. From doughnut-like pastries to yummy pistachio-filled goodies, here are 10 Moroccan sweets you gotta eat.
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Seffa
Couscous and vermicelli are generally known as savory dishes, but Morocco makes a sweet version with the ingredients that will lure in your taste buds. In this dessert dish, the couscous and vermicelli noodles are piled into a giant mound then topped with almonds, powdered sugar and cinnamon. It’s usually served family style during the holidays, but can be ordered in many restaurants throughout the country any time of year.
Halwa dyal Makina
These chocolate coated biscuits are the perfect snack when you need a small treat to keep you going. The dish is made by dough that’s passed through a pipe to create the unique shape. It’s then dipped in chocolate on both ends to finish it off.
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Briouat
Like seffa, the ingredients in this dish are often combined with something more savory, like kefta (spiced ground meat). However, it’s also served in a sweet version that is delectable. It’s often filled with almonds, topped with sesame seeds, and coated in orange blossom water to give it a distinctive taste.
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Chebakia
Also spelled as shebakia, this sesame cookie is a Moroccan favorite that can be found in street stalls throughout the country. The dish is shaped to look like a flower, deep fried, then covered in honey and sesame seeds. Make sure to get a napkin, as your hands will be sticky after eating these.
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Sfenj
If you have a hankering for all kinds of fried dough, then sfenj might just become your new favorite after you visit Morocco. They are very similar to traditional doughnuts and are usually eaten straight from the oil instead of sitting around for awhile, then dusted with a light coating of sugar.
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M’hanncha
Known as snake bread, this is the treat you want to grab when you have a group of people to share with. The dish looks like a big coiled snake and is made with filo dough, coated with powdered sugar and often some pistachios or almonds to top it off. You’ll also find it flavored with lemons, oranges, or roses depending on what bakery you get it from.
Ghoriba
These cookies can be found in patisseries throughout most Moroccan cities and come in lots of different shapes and sizes. Ghoriba is similar to shortbread and can be identified with the cracks they have going throughout the cookie, which gives it an interesting chewy texture, similar to biting into a macaron.
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Maamoul
These delicious treats are also made with shortbread but tend to be shaped by intricate presses. They are usually stuffed with pistachios, walnuts, raisins and dates. While maamoul can be found in bakeries anytime of year, they are especially popular around Eid.
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Baklava
Baklava is probably the most well-known treat in North Africa and beyond, but not trying it while in Morocco would be a shame. You can find it pretty much everywhere and it serves as a great introduction into the world of honey and pistachio-packed sweets.
Riz bi haleeb
This delectable rice pudding is a favorite in Morocco and is quite different from different than the Latin-style Arroz con leche. The Moroccan version is covered in cinnamon, orange blossom water and a large helping of fresh crushed pistachio to give it a distinctive taste.
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