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Khabeesa

25 min Easy 4 servings

Serves 4 · Total 25 min · Prep 5 min · Cook 20 min

Updated on 1 October 2026

Toasted flour or breadcrumbs cooked in sweetened, saffron-scented water until it comes together into a soft, fudgy sweet, pressed flat and cut into squares. A quick Emirati treat with almost no equipment needed.

Quick answer: 25 min in total · serves 4 · main ingredients: Wheat flour, Sugar, Saffron, Cardamom · amounts in metric and US

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Ingredients

Metric US

200 g 1.6 cup Wheat flour
150 g 0.75 cup Sugar
1 pinch 1 pinch Saffron
3 pc 3 pc Cardamom
4 tbsp 4 tbsp Clarified butter

Steps

Timers run only while this tab is open. The Degchi app keeps them running on a locked phone.

Toast the flour in a dry pan over low heat, stirring constantly, until light golden and fragrant.
⏱ Toasting flour · 8 min
In a separate pot, boil 400 ml water with sugar, saffron and cardamom until the sugar dissolves.
⏱ Making sugar water · 4 min
Pour the hot sugar water into the toasted flour while stirring briskly to avoid lumps, then add the ghee.
⏱ Combining · 3 min
Cook, stirring, until the mixture pulls together into a soft, glossy dough-like mass.
⏱ Cooking khabeesa · 5 min
Press into a flat tray, smooth the top and cut into squares once slightly cooled.
Transfer to a serving dish and serve while fresh.

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Frequently asked questions

How long does Khabeesa take?

25 minutes in total: about 5 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking.

Is Khabeesa hard to make?

Degchi rates it easy. The method has 6 steps, and 4 of them have a timer you can start on this page.

How many people does Khabeesa serve?

This recipe serves 4. Use the toggle above the ingredient list to see the amounts in metric or US measures. For more or fewer portions, scale every amount in the same proportion, or use the servings control in the Degchi app.

Is Khabeesa halal, vegetarian or eggless?

It is marked halal in our recipe data. It is vegetarian. It has no egg. It has no beef. Check the labels on any packaged ingredients for your own needs.

What will I probably need to buy for Khabeesa?

Spice-box items: saffron, cardamom. Fresh items you will probably need to buy: clarified butter. Lentils, grains and other dry goods: wheat flour, sugar.