Looking for a fun, bite-sized twist on a Middle Eastern classic? This sfouf recipe transforms traditional Lebanese turmeric cake into golden, moist semolina muffins! Perfect for gatherings, quick snacking, or a sweet morning treat, the eggless, bakery-style batter offers a beautiful vibrant color and a unique flavor profile that is anything but boring. Whether you love classic Lebanese desserts or want to experiment with a versatile semolina base, this simple method is bound to become a permanent keeper in your recipe box.

After testing quite a few different muffin and sfouf recipes over the years, I now have a new favorite!

Discover with me this terrific hybrid sfouf muffin—a delicious meeting of two worlds: the classic muffin and the traditional Lebanese turmeric cake known as sfouf. Both come together in one easy-to-make treat that is delicious served warm or at room temperature.

If you like sfouf and muffins, you’ll probably love these too! They make a wonderful treat for gatherings and get-togethers with friends. Besides their delicious flavor and beautiful texture, they require just a few ingredients to create bakery-style muffins with an unusual twist—anything but boring!

Think of the Sfouf Batter as a Template!

This has become my staple muffin recipe—a super-simple batter that I rely on and customize with different flavors.

My sfouf muffin recipe starts with a thick semolina-flour batter seasoned with turmeric powder. You can keep it plain, just like you would when making sfouf (the Lebanese semolina turmeric sheet cake), or add your choice of flavors and mix-ins.

Think of the batter as a template—one that you can play around with to create your favorite flavor combinations. I tested the second batch with bananas and Nutella, and the result exceeded my expectations. For the third batch, I added apples and raisins, left out the turmeric, and topped the muffins with a crumble layer. Another victory!

I’m thinking of trying pears and ginger next. I haven’t tested that combination yet, but I’m so curious to see how it turns out.

So, in short, customize the batter with your favorite flavors and combinations. The sky is the limit!

My Dream Coffee Shop

My dream is to one day build and run my own coffee shop and turn that dream into reality. I already have a carefully written menu featuring innovative, tried-and-tested recipes that I have developed over the years, with the goal of delighting our future customers.

Sfouf muffins are sure to be part of the menu. They are a versatile recipe that I can experiment with by adding different flavors, and they are approved by both kids and adults.

Ingredients Needed to Make the Classic Sfouf Batter

• Fine or coarse semolina: I have tested this recipe with both, and I ended up loving both versions.

• All-purpose flour: Too much flour will make your muffins dry. For best results, use a leveled 250 ml (1-cup) measuring cup to measure the flour.

• Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar is used here, but you can also use dark brown sugar.

• Sunflower oil: Adds flavor and helps keep the muffins tender.

• Turmeric powder: The star of the show when making sfouf.

• Full-cream milk powder: Adds depth of flavor. You can omit it and use liquid milk instead of water.

• Baking powder: The leavening agent.

• Water or milk: Use milk if you are skipping the milk powder.

More Flavor Combinations

Build your own flavor, keep it classic, or have fun experimenting with the batter!

• Add chocolate chips: Use milk or dark chocolate chips.

• Add dried fruit: Mix in chopped dates, dried apricots, cranberries, or Craisins.

• Add fresh pear and ginger: Fold in diced fresh pear and ginger—the two flavors pair beautifully together.

• Fill with Nutella or jam: Add a little batter to the bottom of the tulip liner, then add a dab of Nutella or jam and cover with more batter.

• Add anise seeds: Toast the anise seeds in a skillet over medium heat for about 40 seconds, until fragrant. Add them to the batter for an earthy, licorice-like flavor.

• Add nuts: Before baking, top each muffin with your favorite nuts, such as pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds.

• Add a crumble topping: For extra crunch, top the muffins with a crumble topping. Check the recipe below.

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Sfouf Muffins

5 from 1 vote

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 25 minutes minutes

Course

Dessert

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Snack

Cuisine

Lebanese

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Description

Sfouf is traditionally made as a sheet cake, but these muffins offer the same wonderful flavor, beautifully complemented by turmeric, in a convenient individual serving. They are easy to make and delicious served warm or at room temperature. If you enjoy sfouf, you’ll love these muffins, too.

Perfect for gatherings and get-togethers with friends, sfouf muffins offer portability, portion control, and less mess. There’s no need for slicing or serving plates—just grab a muffin and enjoy!

Ingredients

 

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Classic Sfouf Muffins

• ▢ 1 ½ cups farina or semolina — I have tested the recipe with both and the result is great with either one.
• ▢ 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¾ cup sunflower oil
• ▢ 1 ¾ cups sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 2 ½ tablespoons full-cream milk powder
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups water

Nutella & Banana Sfouf Muffins

• ▢ Add the following to the classic sfouf muffin batter:
• ▢ ½ cup Nutella
• ▢ 1 banana sliced
• ▢ Apple & Raisin Sfouf Muffins

Add the following to the classic sfouf muffin batter:

• ▢ ⅓ cup raisins
• ▢ 2 apples diced

Crumble Topping

• ▢ Use this topping for the apple sfouf muffins:
• ▢ ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 5 tablespoons unsalted butter slightly melted

Instructions

 

To make the classic sfouf muffins:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F, with a rack positioned in the center.
• In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, farina, sugar, turmeric powder, milk powder, and baking powder. Mix well until all the dry ingredients are evenly incorporated. Add the sunflower oil and water, then stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until the wet and dry ingredients are fully combined and you obtain a smooth, uniform yellow batter.
• Insert the tulip liners into a muffin pan. Using a spoon, divide the batter evenly among the prepared liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. I’m using large tulip liners; if you’re using smaller cupcake liners, they will require less baking time. Remove from the oven and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.
  
• To make the Nutella banana sfouf muffins, prepare the sfouf batter just as you did above.

  Insert the tulip liners into a muffin pan and spoon 2 tablespoons of batter into each liner. Place 2 thin slices of banana, followed by 1 teaspoon of Nutella, on top of the batter. Spoon in the remaining batter, filling each tulip liner about two-thirds full.

  Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  
• To make the apple raisin sfouf muffins, prepare the sfouf batter just as you would for classic sfouf. Peel two apples and dice them into small cubes. Add the apples to the batter, then stir in the raisins and mix well with a wooden spoon.

  Insert the tulip liners into a muffin pan. Using a spoon, divide the batter evenly among the prepared liners, filling each one about two-thirds full.
  
• To make the crumble topping: In a small bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Slowly add the butter while stirring the mixture with a fork or your hands. Do not overmix.
• Spread the batter evenly among the muffin liners and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (I’m using large tulip liners; if you’re using smaller cupcake liners, they will require less baking time.)
  

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Notes

Note 1: Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. Even for an eggless batter, it is preferable to use room-temperature ingredients, as they are easier to work with.

Note 2: Don’t overmix the batter. You just need to combine the ingredients until well incorporated. Semolina flour has a high gluten content, so overmixing can result in tough muffins.

Note 3: Sfouf is naturally eggless. You can use plain non-dairy milk, such as almond milk, to keep the muffins vegan.

Note 4: If you want to make mini muffins instead of large ones, reduce the baking time.

Keyword muffins, semolina, turmeric powder

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