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    Home / Breakfast / Msemen

    Msemen

    Tender Moroccan flatbread folded into flaky, buttery layers, crisped on the griddle and served hot with honey.

    ⏱ 30 minPrep time
    🔥 30 minCook time
    🍽 6Servings
    🏷 BreakfastCategory
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    Msemen is the flatbread of Moroccan breakfasts and late-afternoon tea, a square of dough folded over itself so many times that it shatters into flaky layers on the griddle. The secret is a soft, slightly sticky dough stretched thin, brushed with oil, folded, and rolled again. Street vendors cook them by the dozen, and no home kitchen is without the smell.

    Tender, flaky layers from a hot griddle

    Proper msemen is crisp and golden on the outside and tender within, each layer pulling away from the next in ribbons. Eat it hot with honey and melted butter, or fold it around cheese and olives for a savory version. It is the kind of bread that disappears before it ever reaches the table.

    Craving more? Explore all Moroccan Kitchen recipes.

    Thinking of a Moroccan dinner night? This dish fits the complete Moroccan dinner night menu. The spices here are part of a bigger story — our spice blends of the world guide.

    Moroccan recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Mix the flour, semolina, and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and 1/3 cup oil and knead into a soft, slightly sticky dough, about 10 minutes.
    2. Cover the dough and let it rest 30 minutes.
    3. Divide the dough into 10 balls and keep them covered.
    4. On an oiled surface, press one ball into a thin square, then stretch it gently with your hands until it is nearly translucent. Brush it with oil and fold the edges into the center to make a smaller square.
    5. Fold the square in half again into a triangle, or press it flat into a smaller square, and set it aside. Repeat with the remaining dough.
    6. Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat with a little oil. Cook each msemen 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing down gently, until deep golden and cooked through.
    7. Keep the cooked msemen under a towel and serve hot with honey, butter, or jam.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Keep the dough balls and finished pieces covered under a damp towel so they never dry out. A little semolina on your work surface makes the paper-thin stretching much easier.

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    Recipe details

    Prep30 min
    Cook30 min
    Servings6
    CategoryBreakfast
    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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