Authentic Lebanese desserts straight from my childhood! Pastries, cakes, puddings, and cookies to choose from.
Being Lebanese, I might be a little biased, but I think our desserts are some of the best. They’re not just about being sweet—there’s always a balance of flavors, textures, and aromatic spices that make them so unique. It’s hard to put into words, but if you’ve ever had a bite of baklava, maamoul, or meghli, you know exactly what I mean.
Below, I’m sharing 18 Lebanese desserts that I make all the time. Some are classics I grew up with, and others are my own take on traditional flavors. Either way, they’re all worth trying!
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My Top 18 Lebanese Desserts
I’ve broken down the desert list into three sections. Lebanese pastry and cakes, cookies and non-bake desserts like milk pudding, and a Lebanese style fruit cocktail that is great topped with ashta!
6 Lebanese Pastry and Cake Recipes
Pistachio Baklava Recipe
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Lebanese Homemade Knafeh
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Pistachio Cake Recipe
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Lebanese Baklava
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Namoura
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Sfouf (Turmeric Cake)
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6 Lebanese Cookies
I love how these Lebanese cookies strike a balance – buttery, warmly spiced, and just the right size for a quick grab-and-go little treat!
Lebanese Anise Cookies
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Maamoul
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Sesame Tahini Cookies
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Ghraybeh
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Pistachio Cookie Recipe
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Atayef Recipe
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6 Easy No-Bake Lebanese Sweets
Sometimes, I really don’t want to turn on the oven – but that doesn’t mean I have to miss out on dessert.
Ashta
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Semolina Pudding (Layali Lubnan)
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Lebanese Fruit Cocktail
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Lebanese Rice Pudding
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Muhallabia (Milk Pudding)
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Halva Recipe
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Tips for Making Lebanese Desserts
- Use natural sweeteners. I like to swap out processed sugar for honey, date syrup, or even whole dates whenever I can.
- Play around with nuts. Lebanese desserts use pistachios, walnuts, almonds, and even pine nuts in all kinds of ways. Mixing up different nuts can totally change the flavor and texture. Lately, I’ve been loving pistachio cream for a rich, nutty twist.
- Toppings make a difference. A little chopped pistachios, lemon zest, or even pomegranate arils can take a dessert to the next level. And if you want some crunch? Toasted sesame seeds add a subtle nuttiness that works surprisingly well.
- Know your basics. Sometimes, the simplest tricks make all the difference. Softening butter the right way, making homemade yogurt, or knowing how to whip up a quick simple syrup can save time and make your desserts turn out just right.
- Keep the pantry stocked. Having a few staple ingredients like nuts, dates, rice, and flour on hand makes it easy to pull together a Lebanese dessert.
About the Author
Yumna Jawad, who was born in Africa to Lebanese parents and moved to the US at 11 years old, is beloved by millions of fans globally on Instagram, TikTok, and her website, Feel Good Foodie for her unique, delicious, creative and easy recipes that often go viral on social media. She has grown her massive following from scratch the past decade and has recently founded a new culinary venture, Oath Oats, launched in November 2022. Yumna’s viral food trends have been featured by Live with Kelly & Ryan, The Today Show, Good Morning America, PEOPLE, Vogue, and the New York Times. A graduate from the University of Michigan Business School, she now lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with her husband and two kids. Yumna’s parents are both Lebanese so she proudly features Lebanese, middle eastern and Ramadan recipes as part of her heritage. Her first cookbook, The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook, launched in May 2024 (Penguin) and is filled with over 100 approachable, unique and delicious “Middle Eastern meets Midwestern” recipes for the entire family. The cookbook hit the bestseller lists on Amazon, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly.
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This article originally appeared on Feelgoodfoodie.net and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org
