Desserts are never missing from any holiday table or gathering, with many of these eaten during Eid and Ramadan. As big as the Arab world is, it is safe to assume that there are desserts aplenty. Of course, there are regional variations for all these sweets and desserts, but I have compiled a short list of the most popular (and my favourite) sweets and desserts!

: I would love to see these as a in the MENA countries. While there are regional variants of baklava and kunafah in Greece and the Balkans, there are more characteristic desserts from those countries that will not be mentioned in this list.

: This list is by no means exhaustive, and will not be entirely representative of all Arabic desserts. I have tried to pick the ones which are eaten in most Arab and Middle Eastern countries when making this shortlist but feel free to comment below if I have missed any prominent ones.

Baklava is arguably, the most well-known Middle Eastern dessert. This layered dessert originated from the Ottoman empire and is made of filo pastry, filled with mixed nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey, and prepared in a large pan. It takes on many different forms and originated from the Ottoman empire. A quick search on this site revealed this has already been suggested for Turkey, so perhaps it will be kept off this stamp set and issued separately as a , but a list about Arabic sweets and desserts is incomplete without baklava.

This traditional dessert is made with spun pastry called and soaked in syrup. It is typically layered with cheese, and topped with clotted cream and other mixed nuts. The top layer is also typically coloured with red food colouring, when traditionally, it is baked for long periods of time. Variations of the dish include making the pastry using crushed vermicelli noodles or shredded filo pastry. The most popular variant of kunafah in the Middle East is ( كنافة نابلسية ) which consists of mild white cheese and a shredded wheat surface, covered in sugar syrup. It is also eaten as a breakfast food.

Luqaimat, also known as ( عوامة ) or ( زلابيا / زلابية ), are deep-fried dough balls, soaked in syrup or honey. When fresh, they are crispy on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside, and are often served as a pre-cursor to more substantial desserts.

Butter cookies filled with dried fruits, such as dates or figs, or nuts such as pistachios, walnuts or almonds. They come in various shapes are are typically served with Arabic coffee to guests who come to visit. While they are consumed all year round, they are most associated with the ending of Ramadan’s fasting.

Basbousa, also known as ( هريسة ), ( نمورة ) or , is a syrup-soaked semolina cake. It is baked in a sheet pan, soaked in syrup and can be served with nuts, heavy cream or plain, alongside different types of baklava.

Meaning “Mother of Ali”, this dish is the national dish of Egypt. Pastry is divided into pieces and blended with pistachios, coconut flakes, raisins or sultanas and plenty of sugar. Milk or cream is poured over the surface before being baked.

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