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    You Are Here Home » Middle Eastern Recipes

    Published: Oct 25, 2017 Updated: Apr 28, 2022 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 16 Comments

    Middle Eastern Dessert (Muakacha)

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    muakacha fillo dessert

    Muakacha (moo-ah-ka-cha) is an Arabic word meaning "wrinkled." This is why some people refer to this dessert as "Crinkle Dessert Phyllo Dough" and "Phyllo Dough Crinkle." If you love Phyllo desserts like Baklawa, Burma Baklava, and Kadayif, you'll love this delicious Middle Eastern Dessert.

    Middle eastern dessert a flowered white plate

    About This Recipe

    I was not familiar with this Middle Eastern Dessert until my sister, Beni, told me all about it during a visit to Chicago. She was introduced Muakacha by one of her friends. Now I have the pleasure of introducing it to you! 

    We spent many hours in her kitchen trying to make this phyllo dough crinkle recipe flawless. We took a hit for the team, and each gained a few pounds in the process... you're welcome!

    It took about five batches of Muakacha until we achieved what we were looking for, worth every calorie, I assure you!

    Why This Recipe Works

    Muakacha/Phyllo Dough Crinkle is relatively easy to prepare. I'll show you a few ways to prepare it. One way is to crinkle the sheets and add them to a tray.

    A lot of people are intimidated by working with Fillo Dough since it is so fragile, you don't have to worry about that when making Muakacha. All you have to do is crinkle the phyllo dough...talk about a fool-proof way of working with Fillo Dough!

    The other way to prepare Phyllo Dough Crinkle is by rolling each sheet into a rose shape. If you prepare them like this, the end result will resemble a tray full of cinnamon rolls.

    What You Need For This Recipe

    muakacha ingredients

    Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Phyllo/Fillo Dough: One-pound package of Phyllo Dough, defrosted in the refrigerator.
    • Milk: Use whole milk to make a rich custard.
    • Butter: Use unsalted butter. Start with ½ cup and use more, if needed, to cover all the sheets.
    • Rose Water: Rose water is used in many Middle Eastern recipes and can be purchased at most Middle Eastern Markets. Rose water can also be purchased on Amazon. I use it in many of my recipes, including Muhallebi (milk pudding).
    • Nuts: Instead of pistachios, you can use walnuts, pecans, or almonds. If you have a nut allergy, you can leave the nuts out of the recipe.

    How to Make Muakach

    Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F

    STEP 1: Melt butter in the microwave or on the stove. Use some of the butter to grease a large cookie sheet (affiliate link).

    STEP 2: Begin by folding one sheet of dough at a time, back and forth, like an accordion, and add to the pan. Repeat this step with the remaining sheets. When you're done, fan out the sheets to cover the entire pan. Another option is to roll each Fillo sheet into a coil.

    STEP 3: Pour butter over the sheets and bake for 15 minutes.

    STEP 4: Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a medium-sized bowl. Add milk, sugar, vanilla, and rose water and whisk to combine. Set aside until needed.

    STEP 5: After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and pour the egg mixtures over the fillo dough, making sure it is evenly distributed.

    STEP 6: Place the baking tray back into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the custard is set and the dough is golden brown.

    STEP 7: Toast pistachios for five to 10 minutes, being careful not to burn. Once they've cooled, grind them into a fine texture, but not a powder. Mix in cardamom powder. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the Muakacha with the nuts. Cool completely before slicing into squares or triangles.

    Muakacha, middle eastern dessert

    Pro Tips

    • If you or a family member is allergic to nuts, you can easily leave them out of the recipe.
    • Another way of preparing Muakacha is by sprinkling the nuts over each phyllo sheet before crinkling it. This way, the nuts are mixed into the pastry and don't need to be toasted separately.
    • Instead of placing the Fillo dough in the pan as mentioned in the recipe step, another option is to coil them as you would with cinnamon rolls. Each roll would be considered one serving.

    Related Recipes

    • Baklawa on a tray
      Middle Eastern Baklawa Recipe
    • fillo delights
      Galaktoboureko Recipe (Custard-Filled Fillo Dough)
    • zalabia
      Zlabia (Middle Eastern Mini Funnel Cakes)
    • semolina cake
      Semolina Cake (Nammoura)

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

    Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!

    📖 Recipe

    Middle eastern dessert a flowered white plate

    Muakacha (Fillo Dough Delights)

    Muakacha, is a decedent, custard-filled fillo dessert.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Assyrian, Middle Eastern
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 24 pieces
    Calories: 248kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 package fillo dough
    • ½ cup unsalted butter (melted)
    • 6 large eggs
    • 2 cup milk
    • 2 ½ cup sugar
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla
    • 1 teaspoon rose water
    • ½ cup pistachios (chopped)
    • 1 teaspoon cardamom powder

    Instructions

    Preheat oven to 350 ° F.

    • Melt butter in the microwave or on the stove. Use some of the butter to grease a large cookie sheet.
    • Begin by folding one sheet of dough at a time, back and forth, like an accordion, and add to the pan. Repeat this step with the remaining sheets. When you're done, fan out the sheets to cover the entire pan. Another option is to roll each Fillo sheet into a coil (see pictures in the post).
    • Pour butter over the sheets and bake for 15 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a medium-sized bowl. Add milk, sugar, vanilla, and rosewater. Whisk until combined and set aside until needed.
    • After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and pour the egg mixtures over the Fillo dough, making sure it is evenly distributed.
    • Place the baking tray back into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the custard is set and the dough is golden brown.
    • Toast pistachios for five to 10 minutes in the oven or in a pan, being careful not to burn. Once they've cooled, grind them into a fine texture (see pictures). Mix in cardamom powder.
    • When the Muakacha is done, remove from the oven and sprinkle with the nuts. Cool completely before slicing into squares or triangles.

    Notes

    • If you or a family member is allergic to nuts, you can easily leave them out of the recipe.
    • Another way of preparing Muakacha is by sprinkling the nuts over each phyllo sheet before crinkling it. This way, the nuts are mixed into the pastry and don't need to be toasted separately.
    • Instead of placing the Fillo dough in the pan as mentioned in the recipe step, another option is to coil them as you would with cinnamon rolls. Each roll would be considered one serving.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1piece | Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 111mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g
    Tried this Recipe? Please leave A Star Rating!Mention @HildasKitchenBlog or tag #HildasKitchenBlog!

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    • kebab pizza and salad
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    • featured image (dolma on a white plate)
      Mixed Vegetable Iraqi Dolma

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    1. Nadira Shaikh says

      July 16, 2022 at 3:08 am

      Looks yummy, Hilda. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I’d love to try it. Would it be okay to toast the pistachios beforehand or bake them on the dough for a few minutes at the end of the baking period work? I like the flavor and crunch of toasted nuts. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        July 16, 2022 at 3:26 pm

        I think you missed step #7 😉: Toast pistachios for five to 10 minutes in the oven or in a pan, being careful not to burn. Once they've cooled, grind them into a fine texture. Mix in cardamom powder.

        Reply
    2. Tammy says

      February 04, 2022 at 3:09 pm

      Hi
      How would you store this desert after?
      Thanks

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        February 04, 2022 at 4:14 pm

        Since it has eggs and milk, it would probably be best stored in the refrigerator, especially in hot weather.

        Reply
    3. Karen Gernand says

      January 28, 2022 at 11:32 pm

      Looks yummy, Hilda. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I’d love to try it. Would it be okay to toast the pistachios beforehand or bake them on the dough for a few minutes at the end of the baking period work? I like the flavor and crunch of toasted nuts. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        January 30, 2022 at 6:42 am

        Hi Karen, yes, that would be great!

        Reply
    4. Liz says

      July 20, 2021 at 3:41 pm

      What size pan do you use for this? Sounds delish!

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        July 20, 2021 at 4:30 pm

        I use a large cookie sheet, somewhere aroun 16" x 12".

        Reply
    5. Marlena says

      September 20, 2020 at 8:21 am

      5 stars
      Definitely a 5 star recipe you'll want to make! Its absolutely delicious and such a beautiful dessert. Easy and fun to make. This will absolutely be made often in my home! All of Hilda's recipes so far have been nothings short of perfect. I knew this one would be a winner!

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        September 20, 2020 at 9:10 am

        Hi Marlena,
        Thank you so much for your review. I really appreciate your sweet comment! ❤️

        Reply
    6. Lama says

      May 19, 2020 at 10:39 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for the recipe it’s just right! I only omitted the cardamom and added more rose water. It’s very easy to make and the results are amazing 😉 everyone loved it as I have made it in our holly month of Ramadan and shared it with Family and friends so they taste something new.
      Thank you again,looking forward to trying some of your other recipes 😊

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        May 20, 2020 at 6:24 am

        I'm so glad you all enjoyed it, thank you for the review!

        Reply
    7. Marguerite says

      October 26, 2017 at 4:37 am

      Hilda... I wanted to copy the recipe but got 13 pages!

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        October 26, 2017 at 5:18 am

        Hi Marguerite,
        Click the printer icon (found under the strip with Amazon ads). If you click that, it should just print 2 pages. If you choose the print option another way, it will print all the photos and side column etc. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    8. HildaSterner says

      October 25, 2017 at 2:58 am

      Thanks again for telling me about it. I sure had fun making them with you!

      Reply
    9. beni says

      October 25, 2017 at 2:56 am

      looks good. Glad Scott's friends enjoyed it.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Hilda! I'm the creator of Hilda's Kitchen Blog, author of Mom's Authentic Assyrian Recipes, and a recipe contributor to Brian Baumgartner's Seriously Good Chili Cookbook (AKA Kevin Malone, from The Office).

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