Meghli
Published Mar 16, 2026
Meghli is a traditional Lebanese rice flour pudding made with cinnamon and caraway, topped with coconut and nuts - an easy make-ahead dessert
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Lebanese meghli
Meghli is one of those Lebanese desserts that feels tied to a moment more than just a recipe. I always think of it as something special, whether it’s made to welcome a new baby or served for a holiday gathering, like Ramadan dinners or the Eid. It has that deep cinnamon flavor, a smooth pudding texture, and all the crunch from the toppings that makes every bowl feel a little different.
What I love about traditional Lebanese Meghli is how simple the ingredients are. It comes together in one pot, but it has so much meaning behind it. And even though it’s a pudding, it’s lighter than a lot of other desserts, especially when you serve it chilled with plenty of nuts and coconut on top.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Meghli Ingredients
- Sugar: I’ve see anywhere from 1:1 to 1:2 rice flour to sugar ratio, so you can test what works best it. After a few trials, I ended up with 1:1 ¾ which I think has a good amount of sweetness to balance out the strong spices without being too sweet.
- Rice flour: Make sure to use white rice flour and whisk it well with the water so there are no lumps. You can find white rice flour at grocery stores or online easily.
- Spices: Cinnamon and ground caraway are the most popular in a traditional Meghli recipe.
- Water: You’ll need 8 times the amount of rice flour. Use cold water to slowly heat it with the rice flour.
- Toppings (not pictured): I like using shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, sliced almonds, and crushed pistachios on top of the meghli dessert. You can use all of them or just a couple.
How to Make Meghli
Meghli
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup white rice flour
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons ground caraway
- 8 cups water
Toppings
- Shredded coconut
- Chopped walnuts
- Sliced almonds
- Crushed pistachios
Instructions
- Add the sugar, rice flour, cinnamon, and caraway to a medium, heavy-bottomed pot and whisk to combine.
- Slowly pour in the water while whisking until the mixture is smooth and lump-free.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, about 5 minutes, whisking continuously so the rice flour doesn’t settle or clump.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and whisk continuously for 15–20 minutes, until the mixture thickens into a smooth, pudding-like consistency.
- Carefully pour the hot pudding into 8-12 individual serving bowls.
- Garnish with your desired toppings, about 1 teaspoon of each topping per bowl.
- Let cool slightly, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours until fully set before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Tips
- Whisk the dry ingredients first. This helps the rice flour and spices mix evenly before you add the water, which makes it easier to avoid lumps.
- Pour in the water slowly. Adding it gradually while whisking gives you a much smoother mixture from the start.
- Keep whisking once it starts heating. Rice flour can settle quickly at the bottom of the pot, so constant whisking helps prevent clumps and sticking.
- Don’t stop cooking too soon. Meghli is essentially lebanese pudding so you want to make sure it’s thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon and look like a pourable pudding before you transfer it to bowls.
- Add the toppings right before serving or after chilling. This keeps the nuts and coconut from softening too much.
FAQs
This usually happens if the water was added too quickly or the mixture wasn’t whisked enough before heating. It can also happen if the rice flour settles at the bottom of the pot while cooking.
Yes, this is actually one of the best desserts to make ahead since it needs a few hours to chill and set before serving. You can also eat it warm though from off the stove, which I cannot resist whenever I make it.
More Lebanese Dessert Recipes
- Halva chewy tahini candy
- Muhallabia milk pudding
- Lebanese Sweet Ka’ak Cookies
- Layali Lubnan semolina pudding
- Walnut and Date Stuffed Cookies
- Best Pistachio Baklava
- Fruit Cocktail with Ashta
- Cream Filled Pancakes Atayef
