Moroccan twice-baked biscuit — a dough with almonds, raisins, anise and sesame is shaped into logs, baked, sliced and baked again until crisp. A delicate hospitality biscuit for dipping in tea, sweetened and best enjoyed in moderation; contains gluten, tree nuts, eggs and sesame.
Fekkas (or fkkas) is a beloved, traditional crisp Moroccan biscuit — a staple of Moroccan hospitality, holiday and Ramadan sweet tables. It resembles Italian biscotti in technique (twice-baked): the dough (rich with almonds, raisins, anise, sesame and orange zest) is shaped into logs, baked, then sliced and baked again until dry and crunchy.
Double baking gives a lasting crunch (the biscuit keeps for weeks), making it a practical hospitality provision. Fekkas is richly flavoured — anise, toasted sesame, almonds, raisins and orange zest form a fragrant Moroccan medley — and is served alongside Moroccan mint tea or coffee, perfect for dipping. Its crunch and complex flavour have made it a distinctive Moroccan hospitality biscuit, a symbol of Moroccan home baking and the gracious tradition of its tea table.
Mix the flour, sugar, butter, eggs, baking powder and salt into a firm dough, then work in the toasted almonds, raisins, anise, sesame and orange zest. Fekkas is a Moroccan nut-and-seed biscuit (like Italian biscotti), richly flavoured with anise, sesame and almonds.
Shape the dough into cylindrical logs and arrange them on a baking tray. Leave them to rest a little (they can rise slightly if yeast is used). Shaping into long logs is essential (they will be sliced after the first bake, like biscotti) — do not shape them into individual pieces now.
Bake the logs in a moderate oven until set, lightly golden and firm (not completely dry), about twenty minutes. The first bake sets the logs so they can be sliced (half-baked). Leave them to cool slightly so the slices come out clean.
Cut the baked logs (warm, not hot) into thin slices (about 1 cm) with a sharp knife. Thin slicing gives biscuits that will crisp up fully during the second bake (like biscotti) — make the slices even and thin so they dry out uniformly.
Arrange the slices on the tray and bake again at a low temperature until dried out and crisp on both sides, about twenty minutes, turning halfway. Double baking is the secret to the crunch (it dries the slices so they become brittle and keep well), exactly like biscotti.
Leave the fekkas to cool completely (they crisp further as they cool) and serve with Moroccan mint tea or coffee (for dipping). A treasured, crisp Moroccan heritage biscuit (a hospitality, holiday and Ramadan treat) — rich in almonds, raisins, anise and sesame, its multiple flavours and satisfying crunch make it a distinctive hospitality biscuit that keeps well, a symbol of Moroccan home baking and the generosity of its celebrated tea table.
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 Fekkas (Double-Baked Almond Biscotti), and how to fix them:
Second bake was too short. Bake the slices a second time at low heat until they are fully dried out and crisp (this is the secret to the crunch, like biscotti), and turn them so both sides dry. A thorough second bake dries and crisps them.
Sliced hot or wrong knife. Slice the logs while warm, not hot (they firm up slightly as they cool), using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle motion. Cooling slightly and a sharp knife give clean, uncrumbled slices.
Second bake too long or slices too thick. Bake only until crunchy and dry (do not overdo it) and slice thinly. Fekkas should be crisp for dipping in tea (like biscotti) but not rock-hard.
Not enough liquid or eggs. Add an egg or a little liquid to bring the dough together (it needs to hold the nuts), without making it too soft. A firm dough can be shaped into logs that slice cleanly.
Not enough anise, sesame or orange zest. These flavours are the soul of Moroccan fekkas — do not hold back on them (anise, toasted sesame, orange zest and toasted almonds). This fragrant mix is what distinguishes it from a plain biscuit.
Fekkas keeps in a sealed container at room temperature for weeks (a twice-baked dry biscuit that naturally keeps well — its heritage advantage). Stays crisp. Perfect for preparing ahead for hospitality, holidays and Ramadan.
Baked fekkas can be frozen for two months in a sealed container (it already keeps well, so this is rarely necessary). Or freeze the logs after the first bake, then slice and bake them fresh for the second bake. Practical for large quantities.
Ideal for preparing ahead (keeps for weeks) — make it before the occasion or holiday and store sealed. A hospitality biscuit always ready for guests. Double baking extends its shelf life.
A dry biscuit that keeps well in a sealed dry container (moisture softens it and ruins the crunch). Use fresh almonds and seeds (nuts go rancid over time) and store away from moisture and heat.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butter/oil | Vegetable oil | Same quantity | Oil makes it dairy-free (if used instead of butter) and fekkas is already relatively low-fat; both work |
| Almonds and raisins | Walnuts, more sesame or dried figs | Same quantity | Fekkas can be made with various fillings (almonds, walnuts, sesame, figs, dates); all nuts, seeds and dried fruits add flavour and value |
| White flour | Flour with some whole wheat | Mostly white | Some whole wheat adds fibre with a slightly denser texture; white flour gives the classic crunch |
| Pieces | Flour | Sugar | Almonds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 (small) | 1.5 cups | 1/4 cup | 1/4 cup |
| 40 (base) | 3 cups | 1/2 cup | 1/2 cup |
| 80 (holiday) | 6 cups | 1 cup | 1 cup |
Fekkas is a hospitality biscuit with relative value: almonds and sesame are healthy fats, protein, vitamin E and calcium; raisins provide fibre and minerals; anise is a digestive; and the glycemic load per small piece is low (the nuts and seeds slow sugar release). Its challenges are the sugar, white flour and how easy it is to eat several pieces. Best at one or two pieces with tea in moderation. To lighten: reduce the sugar, use some whole-wheat flour, and increase the almonds and sesame. A delicious hospitality biscuit — the nuts and seeds add value, in moderation.
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