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    Home / Dessert / M’hanncha

    M’hanncha

    A spiral pastry of paper-thin phyllo wrapped around almond filling, glazed with honey and dusted with sugar.

    ⏱ 40 minPrep time
    🔥 25 minCook time
    🍽 8Servings
    🏷 DessertCategory
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    M’hanncha, the snake cake, is the showstopper of Moroccan pastry, a long coil of phyllo wrapped around almond paste and baked into a golden spiral. The name comes from its shape, and the story goes that it represents the serpent of the Garden of Eden, tamed into something sweet. It is served at weddings and holidays, always to applause.

    A coiled pastry snake hiding almond treasure

    Each slice reveals layer after layer of crackling, buttery phyllo around a soft, orange-blossom-scented almond filling. The honey glaze makes the spiral shine, and powdered sugar and cinnamon finish it like snow on a mountain. Cut it in slices, pour the mint tea, and watch the spiral disappear.

    Craving more? Explore all Moroccan Kitchen recipes.

    Part of a full Moroccan spread — plan yours with our complete Moroccan dinner night menu.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Mix the almond flour, powdered sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, 2 tbsp orange blossom water, and cinnamon into a thick filling.
    2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and brush a sheet pan with butter.
    3. Lay out one phyllo sheet and brush it with butter. Top with a second sheet and brush again. Spoon the filling in a line along one long edge and roll it up tightly into a long snake.
    4. Coil the filled roll into a spiral in the center of the pan. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and filling, attaching each new coil to the previous one to form one large spiral.
    5. Brush the top with butter and bake 25 minutes, until deep golden.
    6. Warm the honey with the orange blossom water and brush it over the hot pastry. Cool, then dust with powdered sugar.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Brush every phyllo sheet generously with butter, dry spots turn brittle and crack. Warm the honey before brushing so it soaks into the pastry instead of sitting on top.

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    Recipe details

    Prep40 min
    Cook25 min
    Servings8
    CategoryDessert
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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