Here’s a little confession: we have not mastered the art of cooking—honestly, we struggle with more than just boiling water. While cooking might not be our forte, baking? Oh, that’s a whole different story.
Gooey, fudgy brownies fresh out of the oven, or crispy, chewy chocolate chip cookies? Now, that’s something we can get behind.
So, what’s our cheat sheet? We follow amazing Arab baking influencers who make us look like pros in the kitchen. These culinary stars share the most drool-worthy recipes, and we just recreate them exactly as they say. Trust us, if we can do it, so can you.
Follow our top Arab baking influencers to impress everyone with your sweet creations.
Dunya
@dunyabakes Pretty girls bake when they’re stressed 💕 Biscoff & white chocolate cookies recipe by @moribyan: 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted 1/2 cup Biscoff spread melted 2/3 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 large egg + 1 yolk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 2/3 cup all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup white chocolate chips . . . #baketok #cookies #biscoff #biscoffcookies #whitechocolate #baking #cookierecipe #asmr #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp ♬ original sound – ⋆｡✩ mads
If you haven’t come across her IG yet, you’re missing out. From gooey cookies and moist banana bread to rich brownies, she’s got you covered. She puts her own little twist on recipes, ever heard of tiramisu made with tea biscuits? Or pistachio cookies? Yep, she’s got those too. She can also help you recreate the famous Dubai pistachio kanafa chocolate bar.
Follow her on TikTok: @dunyabakes
Dania
@daniascuisine Fruit tarts with a luscious vanilla cream filling 🍓🫐🍑🥝 Recipe makes about 12 tarts (4-inch diameter). Vanilla cream filling: 2 cups milk 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 4 egg yolks 3 tsp vanilla extract Continuously whisk all the ingredients together in a small saucepan on low heat, until the mixture thickens & begins to bubble (about 10 minutes). Sieve the mixture into a heat-proof bowl, cover, & refrigerate until cold (I did 4 hours). Then, whip 1 cup of cold whipping cream in a separate bowl & fold it in. Keep filling refrigerated until you need to use it. Tart shells (recipe from Aya Caliva): 350 g all-purpose flour 50 g blanched almond flour 150 g powdered sugar 1/4 tsp salt 180 g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes 70 g whisked eggs (less than 2 large eggs) Whisk the dry ingredients together, then thoroughly mix in the cold butter until you have a sandy texture. Slowly mix in the whisked eggs until you have a dough. Shape the dough into a flat rectangle, cover in plastic wrap, & refrigerate until firm (at least 1 hour). On a lightly floured counter, press the cold dough before rolling it to prevent cracking. Cut the dough into the appropriate shape(s) for your tart molds & press it into each mold. Use a knife to cut any rough edges off & a fork to poke the bottom of each shell to encourage even baking. Freeze the raw tart shells, then bake at 350°F until golden. Bake time depends on size/thickness of shell, but it will be 10-20 minutes. My 4-inch shells needed 18 minutes. Pipe your vanilla cream filling into your cooled tart shells using a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Smooth tops using an angled spatula. Top your tarts with fresh fruits of your choice. I did blueberries, blackberries, kiwis, strawberries, and peaches. Keep refrigerated. Consume within 24-48 hours or the shell may get soggy. Enjoy! #dessert #baking #recipe #food #foodie ♬ original sound – Dania’s Cuisine | Dania Arwini
Learn to make mouth-watering fruit tarts to the viral cookie croissant by following Dania. With her expertise, these complex treats become a piece of cake (pun intended). She also creates beloved traditional Arab recipes, bringing a touch of heritage and authenticity to your kitchen.
Follow her on TikTok: @daniascuisine
Yasmine
@thechefmine Honey butter toast 🍯🧈 Recipe below 👇🏽 Ingredients Honey butter toast: 4 thick slices of brioche bread 6 tbs/80g softened unsalted butter ¼ cup light brown sugar 2 tbs honey Pinch of salt Vanilla cream (optional): ½ cup cold heavy cream 1 tbs vanilla bean paste (try to get this over vanilla extract. It’ll make a huge difference) 1 tbs powdered sugar Steps: 1. Preheat your oven to 180°C/356°F. 2. Trim the crusts of your brioche slices and set them aside. 3. In a small bowl combine the butter and brown sugar with a spatula. 4. Add salt and honey and mix. 5. Spread the butter mixture evenly over all the faces of the slices of bread- the top, bottom and sides. 6. Place on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and gently flip each piece of bread. 7. Return to the oven for 8 more minutes. 8. Take the toast out and let them sit for about 2 minutes without touching them before moving them to a cooling rack. They will be very hot and soft, but they’ll harden as they cool. 9. Let them sit on the cooling rack for about 8-10 minutes, then enjoy. 10. If making the whipped cream, mix the cold heavy cream, vanilla bean paste and powdered sugar in a bowl. You can add more sugar if you want, but I don’t recommend making it very sweet as it may overpower the toast. 11. Whip until stiff peaks form then top your toast with it. *Recipe for the salted caramel sauce is linked below 👇🏽* @Yasmine #honeybuttertoast #crispytoast #frenchtoast #dessertrecipe #easydessert #easyrecipe ♬ original sound – Yasmine
Tried a croissant pudding? Or how about a baklava ice cream sandwich? Yasmine bakes some seriously unusual treats like croissant doughnuts and no-bake cheesecake. She’s one to follow if you love creative sweets.
Follow her on TikTok: @thechefmine
Donya
@tastealdonya strawberry crunch milk cake 🤍 strawberry sponge cake soaked in a creamy milk mixture, topped with a light whipped cream, and finished with a deliciously crispy strawberry crumble! #strawberrycake #strawberrytresleches #tresleches #strawberrymilkcake #milkcake #strawberrycrunch #strawberrycrumble #crunchtopping #easydessert #dessertidea ♬ bug collector cover – BEN SCOTT
Scrolling through Donya’s page is torture. Every single dessert is so ridiculously irresistible that it feels like a personal attack on our self-control. Everything looks so mouth-wateringly delicious that we know our attempts at recreating them will never live up to the OG, but we will give it a shot.
Follow her on TikTok: @tastealdonya
Hajar
@moribyan and for those who dont have a crumbl cookies close by 🤎🍪
If you haven’t seen Hajar’s creations on your feed at least once, twice, or a gazillion times, where have you been living? Her recipes are your ticket to impressing everyone at your next gathering (or just indulging in a solo Netflix binge).
Follow her on TikTok: @moribyan
These UAE cake shops are straight from your Pinterest board.