6 Sweets Everyone Must Try when Visiting Nablus, Palestine

When visiting Nablus, Palestine, there are any number of delicious, sweet treats everyone must try at least once. From colorful Nabulsi halkum to golden brown tamreye, a trip to Nablus just wouldn't be complete without indulging your sweet tooth.

In Nablus, many families have handed their trades down from generation to generation. The sweets industry has done just that, with 3 to 4 generations’ worth of history in candy and dessert making! The Old City is home to dozens of shops, making a hub for delicious and traditional Nabulsi sweets in the city.

Even though we don’t sell these tasty treats through Handmade Palestine, we still want to highlight just how special these handmade delicacies are throughout Palestine. We're dedicated to sharing the traditional foods of Palestine with you!

If you’re unable to make the trip but still want to get your hands on some of these treats, we'll be introducing our first ever Ramadan Gift Boxes soon! You'll find some of these treats in your box in the coming months! You can also find some recipes on our blog for other indulgent treats like sahlab for you to enjoy at home!

Kunafe

This tasty delicacy originated in Nablus and has become famous throughout the region (and beyond!) with its gorgeous texture and combinations of flavor. Made with phyllo dough, Akawi cheese, and topped with orange blossom water and rose water, this treat will satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. Be sure to try this famous indulgence from its original birthplace!

Zalabye Pumpkin

Imagine sweetened pumpkin wrapped in fried dough. These pumpkin slices are caramelized in sugar to create a preserves that pairs beautifully with the crispy dough. This Nabulsi treat gives you the best of both worlds with this sweet and savory duo. 

Sesame Halawe

This delicacy combines tahini, rosewater, sugar, and pistachios to create a unique treat that is impossible to ignore. Its toppings can vary from rose hip to pistachio and much more, making a treat that is visually stunning and incredibly tasty. This indulgent snack dates back to the 12th century with the Byzantine Empire and Turkish roots, and continues to dominate the sweets landscape in Nablus to this day!

Nabulsi Halqum

The colorful, eye-catching swirls of halqum is one sweet you can’t miss. This Nabulsi rainbow halqum is made with different syrup flavors, ranging from mint to cherry. These can also be mixed with a number of fillings too, like nuts, pistachio, and even coconut!

Raha

This sugar-coated sweet is ideal sandwiched between two biscuits! Made from sugar, starch, Malban, and rose water, the ingredients create a heavenly flavor profile that’s impossible to resist.

Tamreye

This traditional sweet is good enough to make you want to buy two. Originating from Nablus, this flaky and fried dessert is stuffed with Belooza made from sweet semolina and milk powder. Sometimes you can even find this dessert topped with sugar!

 And of course, the most famous is knafe. But we'll save that for another blog post!

Finding a sweet in Nablus is not a difficult task. With so many things to choose from, why not enjoy them all? So the next time you visit, make sure you find time to try these irresistible and indulgent treats!