4 Muslim food creators share their go-to Eid dessert recipes

For as long as I can remember, every night before Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Adha, my mom has stayed up late, boiling a massive pot of milk on the stove to make seviyan. Even as a child, I was a night owl. So while almost everyone else was asleep, I would stay up with her, soaking in the aroma of the delicious dessert and all the Eid-night feels it brought with it.

Since I've moved away from home, that's been one of the traditions I've come to miss the most. But while I no longer get to witness my mom's late-night routine, thankfully, I still get to enjoy her delicious dessert on Eid day. It's not until I have some that it feels like my Eid has been properly celebrated — and I hope to continue the tradition of making it with my own family one day. 

Reminiscing about my mom's seviyan recently got me thinking about other Eid dessert traditions. So ahead of Eid al-Adha, I spoke with four Muslim food creators about their favourite sweets. They shared personal stories and their go-to desserts, plus recipes you can incorporate into your own celebrations. 

Amina (@hungrypaprikas)

Amina is a Toronto-based food blogger and founder of Hungry Paprikas. Born in Mosul, Iraq, and raised in Hamilton, Ont., Amina grew up enjoying traditional and vibrant Middle Eastern meals. Her aim is to preserve those authentic flavours and share recipes that are approachable and easy for the busy, modern home.  

Amina's Eid dessert traditions: "In Arab culture, celebrating Eid with sweet treats and desserts is common practice. We typically make large assortments, and have them ready to serve to family and friends who come visiting during Eid," she shared. "There are a few desserts that I typically always make, such as baklava, kunafa and a few other authentic recipes. But I also tend to mix it up with different types of cookies, cakes and other sweet treats to keep it fun."

A recipe she wants to share with you: Warbat Bil Ashta/Shaabiyat 

Phyllo dough is a popular ingredient in many Middle Eastern dishes, including one of Amina's favourite Eid desserts. "Warbat or shaabiyat is a Levantine dessert made with layers of crispy phyllo dough stuffed with a thick cream and drizzled with simple syrup," she said. You can find the full recipe on her site.

Sarah (@flourandspiceblog)

Sarah is a Pakistani-Canadian food blogger based in Toronto. She shares her love of food and baked goods on Instagram and on her website, Flour & Spice. 

Sarah's Eid dessert traditions: Sarah also grew up eating doodh seviyan on Eid. "I am not sure where the tradition of making sheer khurma or doodh seviyan originated from. It seems to be one of those, 'My grandmother did, and her grandmother did,' kinds of things," she shared. Regardless of where and when it was adapted, it has become a go-to sweet for the holiday, she told us. "Whether we make it in large enough quantities to serve guests, or just enough for our family on Eid day, doodh seviyan [is] a big part of our Eid traditions."  

A recipe she wants to share with you: Doodh Seviyan

Sarah has fond memories of picking up on the dish's aroma on Eid morning. "As a child, just waking up to the smell made me happy," she said. "As an adult, re-creating that feeling for my children does." She makes the milky, cardamom-scented dessert every year for Eid al-Fitr and sometimes for Eid al-Adha. "Culturally, the dish originates from South Asia, where these particular noodles have been around for some time," she noted. "However, in Pakistani cuisine, they're most common in this sweet form." 

Orely (@inafoodieskitchen)

Orely is a Vancouver-based recipe developer and food photographer. She grew up in Dakar, Senegal, and publishes Senegalese recipes online as a way of sharing her culture with her followers. She also creates her own recipes inspired by close friends, family and her sons.

Orely's Eid dessert traditions: Orely makes dessert for her family's Eid lunch every year and loves to come up with new ideas as often as she can. "We tend to make the same celebratory meals, but the appetizers and desserts is where we try to come up with new ideas," she said.

A recipe she wants to share with you: Tapioca Custard with Mangoes

This tropical custard dessert is a crowd-pleaser and was inspired by Orely's fond memories of mango season. "This recipe is inspired by Senegal. It is not a traditional recipe at all, but mangoes are in season during the summer in Senegal, and I just wanted to find different ways to use them in desserts," she said.

Zahra (@threecupsofchai)

Zahra is a Toronto-based recipe developer and food photographer who discovered a passion for cooking for the people she loves at a young age. Today, she develops recipes for her socials @threecupsofchai and prominent food brands and publications. Her goal is to create delicious and nourishing meals that are accessible to individuals of all culinary backgrounds.

Zahra's Eid dessert traditions: As a revert to Islam, Zahra adopted her Eid traditions from her husband's family — traditions her kids now look forward to every Eid. "Each Eid, we make sweets or mithai," she said. This includes traditional laddoo, "a delicious, naturally gluten-free sweet made with chickpea flour that is fried, pulsed in a food processor, mixed into a fragrant cardamom simple syrup and rolled into delicious golden balls to enjoy." 

A recipe she wants to share with you: Blueberries and Cream Cake

This no-bake cake is one Zahra looked forward to every year growing up. Her friend Natalie's mother, Angie, would always make it for Natalie's birthday, and Zahra enjoyed it so much that she learned how to make it as a teenager and continues to make it today. The only difference now is that there's a rush of memories attached to the cake's delicious taste. "Each time I make it, even 20-plus years later, I'm flooded with nostalgia," she said. "Though simple to put together, to me, it will forever be the perfect occasion cake!"