Creamy, rich, and not overly sweet, Muhallebi (Mahalabia/Mahlabia) is a delicious Middle Eastern milk pudding that only requires a few simple ingredients. Unlike many labor-intensive Middle Eastern desserts (Baklawa, for example) Muhallebi is super easy to prepare!
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If you're into quick, easy desserts, Muhallebi (also spelled Mahlabia or Mahalabia) is a must-try! Made with simple, pantry-friendly ingredients, this creamy Middle Eastern milk pudding is especially popular during Eid and Ramadan, often served after iftar alongside sweets like Atayef, shemai, and lokma. That said, it's easy enough to enjoy any time of year!
Planning your Ramadan menu? Browse my full collection of Ramadan recipes for more traditional desserts and dishes.
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🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Milk: For a creamier texture, whole milk should be used to make muhallebi. However, you can use skim milk or substitute a portion of the milk with half and half or cream for an even richer taste.
- Thickener: Depending on the recipe, various thickeners can be used, including rice flour, cornflour, rice, and gelatin. This recipe calls for cornstarch. If using another thickener, the quantity will most likely need to be adjusted.
- Flavoring: Vanilla extract, saffron, rose water, and orange blossom water are all popular mahalabia flavorings. We will be adding rose water and, you guessed it, ground cardamom!
- Garnish: Just before serving the Mahlabia, it needs to be garnished. Popular garnishes include almonds, pistachios, and edible rose buds and petals.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities.
🥣 How to Make Muhallebi (Mahalabia)
Step 1: Whisk cornstarch into cold milk until smooth. Add sugar and cardamom powder and whisk to combine.
Step 2: Simmer the milk over medium heat, while whisking. When the mixture gets too thick to whisk, stir with a spoon or spatula.
Step 3: The pudding will begin to boil and pop. The whole process should take 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the stove and stir in the rose water and half of the toasted pistachios, if desired (see tip below).
Pro Tip: Adding pistachios to the pudding will change the texture of the nuts, making them soft. If you prefer to keep the pistachios crunchy, don't mix any into the pudding and use them as a garnish instead.
Step 4: Pour the milk pudding into decorative ice cream cups or dessert bowls. Refrigerate for a few hours until set.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
Just before serving, decorate the Mahlabia with pistachios or roasted pine nuts, edible dried roses, or dust lightly with cinnamon. Enjoy!
Pro Tip: Toast the pistachios in a pan for a few minutes to bring out their flavor before using them to garnish the muhallabia.
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Mahalabia is a Middle Eastern milk pudding and is prepared by thickening milk using a thickening agent like cornflour or cornstarch and sweetening it with sugar. Mahlabia is flavored with vanilla, rosewater, orange blossom water, and spices like cardamom and cinnamon.
Although it depends on the recipe, milk pudding is usually very light and sweet. Sometimes it has a creamy texture while other times other ingredients are stirred into it, for example, nuts, coconut, or raisins.
Mahlabia is an Arab pudding that is prepared with milk and a thickening agent. Unlike preparing custard, eggs are not required, but can be added to give the milk pudding a richer taste and texture.
To make vegan muhallebi, simply replace the whole milk with coconut milk. Almond milk and cashew milk are other options; however, the muhallebi might not have the same rich, creamy mouthfeel.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- The thickening agent can also be substituted. Although cornstarch gives you a silky-smooth texture, you can substitute cornflour instead, if you don't mind a slightly grainier texture.
- Although you can eat Mahalabia while warm, the preferred way to enjoy it is chilled.
- If preparing ahead of time, do not add the nuts on top. Wait just before serving so they can retain their crunch.
- Store the pudding in the refrigerator and cover it with plastic wrap or foil to keep the milk pudding from absorbing other flavors in the refrigerator.
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Method
- Whisk cornstarch into cold milk until smooth. Add sugar and cardamom powder and whisk to combine.
- Simmer the milk over medium heat, while whisking. When the mixture gets too thick to whisk, stir with a spoon or spatula.
- The pudding will begin to boil and pop. The whole process should take 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off the stove and stir in the rose water and half of the toasted pistachios, if desired (see tip in notes).
- Pour the milk pudding into decorative ice cream cups or dessert bowls (affiliate link). Refrigerate for a few hours until set.
- Just before serving, decorate the Mahlabia with pistachios, edible dried roses, or dust lightly with cinnamon. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Keep in mind if you stir some of the nuts into the pudding, their texture will change and they will become soft. If you prefer to keep them crunchy, don't mix any into the pudding and you'll only need half the amount.
- Toast the pistachios in a pan for a few minutes to bring out their flavor.
- Mahalabia can be altered to fit any taste! If you don't have rose water, you can use vanilla extract, almond extract, or even lemon extract.
- The thickening agent can also be substituted. Although cornstarch gives you a silky-smooth texture, you can substitute cornflour instead, if you don't mind a slightly grainier texture.
- Although you can eat Mahalabia while warm, the preferred way to enjoy it is chilled.
- If preparing ahead of time, do not add the nuts on top. Wait just before serving so they can retain their crunch.
- Store in the refrigerator and cover with plastic wrap or foil to keep the milk pudding from absorbing other flavors in the refrigerator.
Olivia says
i am so confused by corn starch,corn flour,maizena, can this delicious recipe actually be nade with my canister of Argo starch?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Olivia, it can be confusing! Cornstarch and corn flour are not the same. Cornstarch is more refined and is primarily used as a thickening agent so it can definitely thicken this pudding. Give it a try and see what you think!
Kathy Fisher says
I hope this recipe is on the menu of the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. Sounds like Heaven to me...cardamom pudding. Yum.
Hilda Sterner says
If not, I can hook you up before then. 😘
Kathy Fisher says
Looking forward to it Hilda.