Overview

Jordanian Kunafa

Name: Jordanian Kunafa
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: Jordan
Ingredients: 400g (14 oz) Kataifi shredded pastry, thawed; 300g (10.6 oz) Akkawi cheese, soaked overnight; 150g (5.3 oz) Mozzarella, low-moisture, shredded; 120g (about 1/2 cup) Butter, melted; 250g (8.8 oz, about 1 1/4 cups) Sugar; 40g (1.4 oz, about 1/4 cup) Pistachios, finely chopped; 15g (1 tbsp) Lemon juice, fresh; 10g (2 tsp) Orange blossom water

Kunafa; Knafeh; Kanafeh

Kunafa is the Levant's most beloved sweet: fine shredded kataifi pastry, tossed in melted butter and pressed into a pan around a layer of soft, stretchy cheese, baked until the top is deep gold and crisp, then drowned in warm lemon-orange syrup and scattered with ground pistachios. One serving is about 180 g. Eaten warm, the cheese pulls in long strings with every spoonful, and the syrup soaks into the crisp pastry without ever making it soggy.

Kunafa — knafeh in Arabic — is one of the oldest sweets of the Levant, with roots in the medieval kitchens of the region, where fine shredded pastry, soft white cheese and syrup were combined into a dessert fit for Ramadan evenings and Eid. Nablus, in Palestine, became famous for its version made with soft nabulsi cheese, and the sweet spread across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt, each place keeping the same golden, syrup-soaked heart. In Jordan today it is the sweet that ends a feast and starts a long evening of coffee and talk.

Pairs well with: Arabic coffee and a glass of cold water

Provenance

Jordan

Levantine Sweet Classic

Middle Eastern

Time Dedication

1h 10m

30m prep • 40m cook

Batch Yield

8 Servings

557 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 180 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Intermediate (Cheese & Syrup)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Inappropriate

Dinner

Inappropriate

Snack & Tea

Ideal Light Bite

Occasions: Ramadan evenings, Eid, family gatherings, after-dinner sweet, afternoon coffee Cost: Medium — about $3–4 per serving at home

Tags: Cheese Sweet Rich Vegetarian Baked

Kunafa — a golden round of crisp shredded pastry topped with ground pistachios and whole pistachios

Levantine Sweet Classic

Photo: Di7ane, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Kataifi shredded pastry, thawed 400g (14 oz)

Fine shredded pastry, not phyllo sheets. Substitute: Shredded wheat pastry (kadayıf) from a Middle Eastern grocer.

How to choose: Pale, dry, fine shreds with no damp clumps; thaw overnight in the fridge.

How to prepare: Pull the shreds apart with your fingers until fluffy, then toss with the melted butter.

Required
Akkawi cheese, soaked overnight 300g (10.6 oz)

The traditional soft white cheese for kunafa. Substitute: Fresh mozzarella, torn, plus a little ricotta.

How to choose: White, firm cheese in brine; it should smell milky and clean.

How to prepare: Soak in cold water overnight, changing the water 2–3 times, then drain and crumble.

Required
Mozzarella, low-moisture, shredded 150g (5.3 oz)

Adds the famous cheese pull. Substitute: More akkawi, if you can find it.

How to choose: Firm block mozzarella, not fresh balls in water.

How to prepare: Shred on the coarse side of a grater and mix with the crumbled akkawi.

Optional
Butter, melted 120g (about 1/2 cup)

Coats the pastry so it crisps and browns. Substitute: Ghee.

How to choose: Good butter, melted and slightly warm, not hot.

How to prepare: Melt gently and let it cool for 2 minutes before tossing with the pastry.

Required
Sugar 250g (8.8 oz, about 1 1/4 cups)

For the syrup.

How to choose: Plain white granulated sugar.

How to prepare: Dissolve in 200 ml (about 3/4 cup) water with the lemon juice.

Required
Pistachios, finely chopped 40g (1.4 oz, about 1/4 cup)

For the green crown on top. Substitute: Finely chopped walnuts.

How to choose: Bright green kernels, unsalted; taste one — it should be sweet, never stale.

How to prepare: Chop fine, but not to dust; a little texture is good.

Optional
Lemon juice, fresh 15g (1 tbsp)

Keeps the syrup from crystallising. Substitute: 1/4 tsp citric acid.

How to choose: Fresh lemons, heavy for their size.

How to prepare: Squeeze just before making the syrup.

Required
Orange blossom water 10g (2 tsp)

The floral note in the syrup. Substitute: Rose water (a different, stronger flower).

How to choose: Clear, fragrant; a little goes a long way.

How to prepare: Stir into the syrup off the heat, never while it boils.

Optional

Estimated cost: Medium — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)

A true kunafa is judged by the pull: hot, crisp and golden on top, with the cheese stretching in strings when the wedge is lifted.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 10m

Prep Stage: Cheese Soaking, Pastry Fluffed, Syrup Made

30 Mins • Soaking & Mixing (plus overnight cheese soak)

The day before, put the akkawi in a bowl of cold water in the fridge and change the water 2–3 times — this is not optional, because unsalted akkawi is far too salty to eat. On the day, make the syrup first so it can cool: dissolve the sugar in the water with the lemon juice, simmer 5 minutes, then stir in the orange blossom water off the heat. Fluff the kataifi shreds apart with your fingers and toss them thoroughly with the melted butter until every strand is coated — dry strands burn, buttered strands turn gold.

Maestro Tip: Taste a crumb of the soaked akkawi before you use it: it should be milky and only lightly salty. If it is still very salty, soak it for another hour.

1
Make the Syrup

10 Mins • Stovetop Boil at 100°C (212°F), then cool to room temperature

Put the sugar, 200 ml (about 3/4 cup) of water and the lemon juice in a small pan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then boil for 5 minutes without stirring until the syrup is slightly thickened. Take off the heat, stir in the orange blossom water, and leave to cool completely — hot syrup on hot kunafa makes it soggy; the syrup must be cool and the kunafa hot.

Do not stir once it boils, or the syrup can crystallise into grit.

Done when: Syrup coats a spoon in a thin thread and tastes sweet with a clear lemon-floral note.
2
Butter and Layer the Pastry

10 Mins • Layering Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)

Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter a round 28 cm (11 inch) pan generously. Press half the buttered kataifi into the pan in an even layer, pushing it slightly up the sides to form a shallow nest. Spread the mixed cheeses evenly over it, leaving a 1 cm (1/2 inch) border clear so the cheese does not leak and burn. Cover with the remaining kataifi and press down firmly and evenly with the base of a glass.

Press firmly: loose pastry bakes into a fluffy pile instead of a sliceable round.

Done when: An even, firmly pressed round with the cheese fully hidden inside.
3
Bake Until Deep Gold

30 Mins • Oven 180°C (350°F)

Bake for 30–35 minutes until the top is deep gold and crisp, and the edges pull slightly away from the pan. The cheese inside should be fully melted — you will hear it bubble faintly at the edges. If the top browns too fast, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.

Check at 25 minutes: ovens vary, and the line between gold and burnt is thin.

Done when: Top is deep gold and crisp all over; the edges are pulling away from the pan.
4
Syrup, Rest and Serve

10 Mins • Serving Serve warm, about 60°C (140°F)

The moment the kunafa comes out of the oven, pour the cool syrup slowly and evenly over the whole surface — it will hiss and soak straight in. Leave it for 5 minutes so the syrup settles, then scatter the chopped pistachios over the top. Cut into wedges and serve warm, while the cheese still pulls in strings.

Pour the syrup slowly in a spiral from the centre out, so every part gets the same amount.

Done when: Wedges hold their shape, the cheese stretches when lifted, and the top stays crisp under the syrup.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Scatter the pistachios right before serving so their green stays bright against the gold, and put the coffee on — kunafa is at its best in the first twenty minutes, warm, crisp and stretching.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

557

kcal / serving

Protein

15g

Complete AA

Carbs

61g

Complex

Fats

30g

Healthy

Per serving (8 servings · 1 serving ≈ 180 g)
Energy	557 kcal
Protein	15 g
Carbohydrates	61 g
Fat	30 g
Fibre	1.4 g
Sugar	34.0 g
Sodium	668 mg

Per 100g
Energy	309 kcal
Protein	8 g
Carbohydrates	33.7 g
Fat	16.4 g
Fibre	0.8 g
Sugar	18.9 g
Sodium	371 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Calcium and B12 (cheese), vitamin B6 and E (pistachios), vitamin C (lemon juice).

Calcium From Real Cheese

A serving carries the calcium of two cheeses — akkawi and mozzarella — which is why kunafa feels far more substantial than a plain syrup cake.

Pistachios on Top

The pistachio crown adds vitamin B6, vitamin E and fibre, and a little crunch against the soft, syrupy pastry.

Real Energy for Celebrations

At about 560 kcal a serving, kunafa is a proper celebration sweet — rich, filling and meant to be shared, not snacked on alone.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Drinks

Arabic Coffee

Small cups of strong, cardamom-scented Arabic coffee are the classic partner: the bitterness cuts the syrup's sweetness and the two flavours were made for each other.

Mint Tea

Hot mint tea works just as well as coffee for those who prefer it — the fresh mint lifts the heavy, buttery pastry.

More Pairings

Fresh Strawberries

A few fresh strawberries on the side give a tart, juicy contrast to the rich cheese and syrup, and their acidity cleans the palate.

Full Menus

Clotted Cream (Ashta)

A spoonful of cool clotted cream beside a warm wedge adds a second, softer creaminess and lets each person balance the sweetness to taste.

Complete menu

Serve warm wedges of kunafa with small cups of strong Arabic coffee and cold water; a few fresh strawberries or a spoonful of clotted cream on the side makes it a full dessert spread.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Hot Syrup on Hot Kunafa

Pouring hot syrup over hot pastry floods it and the crisp top collapses into mush. The syrup must be cool and the kunafa hot — that contrast is what keeps the top crisp. This is a cooking note, not medical advice.

Storing Kunafa in the Fridge Uncovered

Uncovered kunafa in the fridge dries out and the cheese turns rubbery; cover it tightly and reheat gently instead. This is general food-storage information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

General adultsA rich celebration sweet for healthy adults — one wedge is a full dessert.
ChildrenChildren love the cheese pull and the syrup; serve a small wedge, and remember it is very sweet.
ElderlyGood as an occasional treat in a small wedge — the cheese is soft and easy to eat, but it is sweet and rich.
Pregnant womenGenerally suitable when made with pasteurised cheese; keep to a small wedge because of the sugar. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Breastfeeding womenGenerally suitable in a small wedge; the calcium is welcome, but the sugar is high.
AthletesA good quick energy source after training, but very high in sugar — one wedge, not two.
Weight gainA good choice — energy-dense and easy to eat; a full wedge with cream is a proper dessert.
Weight lossNot the easiest choice: about 34 g of sugar per serving. Take half a wedge with strawberries and unsweetened tea.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

DiabetesOne serving carries about 61 g of carbohydrate and 34 g of sugar; take half a wedge and pair it with unsweetened tea. Ask your clinician about portion size.
High blood pressureThe cheese is salty even after soaking — about 670 mg sodium per serving. Keep to one small wedge. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Kidney diseaseHigh in sugar and saturated fat; an occasional small wedge only, and ask your clinician about portion size.
GoutCheese and butter are moderate in purines; an occasional small wedge is usually fine. Ask your clinician if you have frequent flares.
Stomach issuesThe dish is very rich and sweet, which can feel heavy on a sensitive stomach; eat slowly and take a small wedge.
Cardiovascular diseaseButter and cheese are high in saturated fat; keep to a small wedge and balance the rest of the day's meals. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Fatty liverHigh in sugar and saturated fat; take half a wedge at most, with fresh fruit. Ask your clinician about portion size.
Food allergiesContains milk (cheese, butter), wheat (kataifi pastry) and tree nuts (pistachios). Do not serve to anyone with a milk, wheat or pistachio allergy.
Special therapeutic dietsThis is a high-sugar dessert; anyone on a prescribed low-sugar or therapeutic diet should ask their clinician before eating it.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

How to store: Cool completely, then cover tightly with cling film or foil.
In the fridge: 3 days, covered tightly.
In the freezer: 1 month, wrapped in foil then a freezer bag; thaw in the fridge.
How to reheat: Reheat in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 8–10 minutes until hot all the way through to 74°C (165°F) and crisp again; the microwave makes it soggy.
Freezing recommended: Yes, before adding syrup is best; syrup after reheating.
Signs it has spoiled: Sour smell, slimy cheese, or mould on the pastry.

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