Especially popular during Ramadan, this creamy, delectable dessert is worthy of being enjoyed year round! It’s been around for a long time too, showing up in texts that date back to the 10th century! There’s a reason it stuck around this long. This sweet, melty concoction is sure to please and is pretty quick and painless to make. No matter what the occasion, there’s always room for Kunafa!

1. The Traditional

Photocred: Arabic Zeal

This recipe from a site called Arabic Zeal is for a traditional Kunafa using local, region-specific ingredients. If you want to make your dessert as close to the original as possible, this is a good recipe to try. While it does include a few processes which might take some time, there are shortcuts offered to make this recipe totally doable for any level cook!

2. The Show-Stopper

Photocred: MindFood

This version of Kunafa uses cream cheese, making it a bit of a hybrid recipe and a fun fresh take on the dessert!  It only takes about 40 minutes to bake and the added fresh plums on top make for a beautiful presentation that is sure to wow those hungry dinner guests!  Pop on over to Mindfood to give this beauty a try.

3. The Variant

This recipe from a blog called Turkish Food Passion uses mozzarella cheese and phyllo dough. It offers plenty of pictures to help more nervous cooks see exactly what their ingredients and dish should look like along the way! Overall a very beginner friendly recipe with few ingredients called for and very minimal prep work!

4. The Inspired By

Over at Sweet Pillar Foods, there’s a playful recipe for Kunafa cones that are filled with a tahini laced mascarpone filling. Mascarpone cheese has a lovely mild flavor and is typically used in Italian desserts like cannoli. The end result is gorgeous to look at and gives a nod to the traditional dessert while updating it with a fun, modern look!

5. The Gotta Make It

Over at CleoButtera, there is a recipe for a Kunafa style grilled cheese sandwich! Bread is covered with the shredded pastry to give it that distinctive texture and crunch and then the sandwich is finished on the stove-top to melt the cheese. Top it off with an orange laced simple syrup and chopped pistachios and this short-cut method has all the flavor and texture of the traditional dessert in a fraction of the time! Better still? You can eat it with your hands!