Ground from the kernel inside the pit of a small wild cherry. Bitter-almond and cherry at once, with a marzipan edge — the scent that tells you a tin of holiday kaak has been opened somewhere in the house.
Also known as mahleb · mahlepi · mahlepi spice
- Arabicمحلبmahlab
- What it isThe ground kernel from inside a small cherry pit
- Looks likePale cream powder, or small teardrop kernels sold whole
- Used forBaking — celebration cookies, breads and pastries
- KeepsA few months ground; up to a year whole, in the freezer
The Ingredient Atlas, in your pocket
Every Sofra recipe is free to read here on the web. The app carries an Ingredient Atlas covering dozens of Levantine ingredients — in English, Arabic and Portuguese, with the name in French and Spanish too — alongside a free collection of 112 recipes to cook from.
Get Sofra — free download →What it tastes and smells like
Bitter almond first, then cherry, then something closer to marzipan. It is aromatic rather than sweet, and faintly bitter on its own — the bitterness disappears entirely once it is baked into dough.
A little carries a long way. Ground mahlab loses its perfume within a few months, which is why it is commonly sold whole and ground as it is needed.
Commonly shelved with the baking spices rather than the savoury ones — ask for it by name.
What it is used in
- Ka'ak el Eid1 tsp, finely ground Mahlab
- Idlib Sesame and Anise Ring Cookies½ tsp ground mahlab (optional)
- Maamoul1/2 tsp Mahlab (optional but traditional)
How to buy and store it
Buy it whole if you can — small pale teardrop kernels — and grind what you need in a spice grinder or mortar. Ground mahlab sold in jars is convenient and fades fast; if that is what you can get, buy the smallest quantity available.
Middle Eastern, Greek and Armenian grocers all stock it, often under mahlepi. Keep it in the freezer in a sealed jar: whole kernels hold their perfume for about a year that way, ground mahlab for a few months.
If you cannot find it
- Ground almond plus a drop of almond extract acceptableReaches the bitter-almond note but none of the cherry. Use a light hand — extract is far stronger than mahlab.
- Leave it out acceptableSeveral bakers do. The cookie still works; it simply loses the perfume that makes people ask what is in it.
Frequently asked questions
What is mahlab?
Mahlab is a baking spice ground from the kernel inside the pit of a small wild cherry. It is used across Levantine, Greek and Armenian baking, mostly in celebration cookies and breads.
What does mahlab taste like?
Bitter almond and cherry together, with a marzipan edge. It is aromatic rather than sweet, and its faint raw bitterness disappears once baked.
What can I use instead of mahlab?
Ground almond with a very small amount of almond extract gets you the bitter-almond side but not the cherry. Leaving it out also works — the cookie loses its perfume but not its structure.
Should I buy mahlab whole or ground?
Whole, if the shop has it. Ground mahlab fades within a few months. Whole kernels keep their perfume roughly a year in a sealed jar in the freezer.
What is mahlab used in?
Celebration baking above all — ring cookies for Eid and Easter, semolina shortbread, and sweet breads. Sofra uses it in three of its cookie recipes.