Moroccan chebakia shaped like a flower, made of dough scented with sesame and anise, fried and dipped in honey and sprinkled with sesame
We make chebakia the way it is made in Moroccan homes in preparation for Ramadan, dough scented with ground sesame, anise, and saffron shaped into flowers that are fried and dipped in honey.
It is the companion of harira on the iftar table, prepared in large batches and stored throughout the month to be served every night.
We toast the sesame until golden then grind it fine, and dissolve the yeast in a little warm water until it activates.
We mix the flour with the ground sesame, almonds, anise, cinnamon, saffron, and turmeric, then add the egg, butter, oil, vinegar, orange blossom water, and yeast and knead until we get a cohesive, soft dough, and leave it to rest.
We roll the dough thin and cut it into rectangles, slit each rectangle with parallel cuts and weave it into a flower shape as is the custom with chebakia.
We fry the flowers in medium-hot oil until they turn golden and crisp, about ten minutes.
We heat the honey with a splash of orange blossom water, and move the chebakia straight from the oil into the hot honey and leave it to soak for five minutes.
We lift it out and drain the excess honey, sprinkle it with toasted sesame, then leave it to dry and set before serving.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Moroccan Sesame Cookies with Honey (Chebakia), and how to fix them:
We roll the dough thin and make sure the oil is hot enough, for thick dough or cold oil makes it soft.
We heat the honey well and move the chebakia into it hot straight from the oil and leave it to soak for a few minutes.
We weave the dough well before frying and fry it gently without extra movement in the first seconds.
It keeps in an airtight container for up to a month, and the honey preserves it so it does not spoil quickly.
It can be frozen after frying and before honeying for up to four months, then honeyed at serving.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| honey | concentrated sugar syrup | same amount | Syrup is cheaper, but honey is the original in chebakia |
| saffron | a little turmeric only | a pinch | Turmeric gives a similar color without the saffron flavor |
| ground almonds | more ground sesame | same weight, 40 g | For those who do not want almonds, while sesame remains the main flavor |
| butter | vegetable oil | same weight | Oil makes it lighter in flavor |
| Ingredient | Half quantity | Quantity (base) | Double |
|---|---|---|---|
| White flour | 150 g | 300 g | 600 g |
| Toasted ground sesame | 50 g | 100 g | 200 g |
| Honey for dipping | 250 g | 500 g | 1000 g |
| Melted butter | 20 g | 40 g | 80 g |
| Orange blossom water | 20 ml | 40 ml | 80 ml |
| Instant yeast | 1.5 g | 3 g | 6 g |
We move the chebakia straight from the hot oil into the hot honey, for this pairing lets it soak up the honey and stay crisp, whereas cold honey just slides off it.
The EEINA app saves your favorite recipes, calculates them from their real ingredients, and shows your daily numbers toward your goal. Try it free now.
