Honeycomb Bread (Khaliat Al Nahl)
Thursday, February 19, 2026
"Honey buns from Honey's bakery..."
Staring off Ramadan with
one of my favourite sweet treats in the entire world, Honeycomb Bread (Khaliat Al Nahl). With absolutely
no shame, if left alone with a full tray, I can (and will) finish the
whole lot by myself. They are outrageously addictive.
Originally from the Middle East, this bread is traditionally known
as Khaliat Al Nahl (خلية النحل),
which literally translates to "beehive". The name couldn't be more
fitting, with its pull-apart rolls nestled together like honeycomb.
It is often referred to as Yemeni Honeycomb Bread, and through friends, I
came to know just how popular it is in Tanzania.
Classically, honeycomb bread is finished with a
warm honey syrup poured generously over the top, soaking into every
crevice. Across different cultures, though, people have had a little fun
with it, condensed milk being a particularly popular twist.
Naturally, I couldn't resist combining the two. Honey
and condensed milk over soft
bread with a cream cheese filling just felt like the right life
choice.
Those who follow me on my social media will know my cat, Honey,
well and that I called him Honey Buns. He was always BTS,
right in the middle of my kitchen storms and recipe shoots, meowing away
like the boss he was. Whenever I saw him kneading on the blanket like he
was hard at work, he would say,
"Honey's making honey buns for Honey's Bakery."
While I am endlessly grateful for the ten years Allah (God) blessed me
with him, I still really miss him, and Ramadan without him won't feel the
same. The little paw print pressed into the dough with Nigella
Seeds is my quiet nod to my forever kitchen company.
These are best served warm or hot, when the cream cheese is soft, and the
glaze melts beautifully into the bread. They
reheat perfectly in the microwave, making them ideal for make-ahead
treats. You can also meal prep them, freeze them, and thaw for
another day, just warm them through and pour the sweet glaze over the top.
Fresh, comforting, and indulgent every single time.
TikTok
@spicyfusionkitchen Honeycomb Bread (Khaliat Al Nahl) 🤤🍯🍞 - "Honey buns from Honey's bakery..." ❤️🩹🐾😺 Staring Ramadan with one of my favourite sweet treats, that I have no self control around 🤤 Originally from the Middle East, Khaliat Al Nahl (خلية النحل) translates to “beehive." Often referred to as Yemeni Honeycomb Bread, while also being quite popular in Tanzania ❤️ My cat Honey's nickname was "Honey Buns," and he always made a BTS appearance, giving me company in the kitchen or during my recipe shoots, meowing away like the boss he was 😺❤️ Whenever I saw him kneading on the blanket I'd say, “Honey’s making honey buns for Honey’s Bakery.” Ramadan without him won't feel the same, and so the little paw print pressed into the dough with Nigella Seeds is my quiet nod to my forever sweet golden honey bun 🐾❤️🩹 #honeycombbread #ramadan #sweet #cat #foodtiktok ♬ Rahmatun Lil'Alameen (Vocals Only) - Maher Zain
Ingredients
2 1/2 Cups Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Dry Yeast
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Melted Butter
2 Tbsp Plain Yoghurt or Greek Yoghurt
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Warm Milk
1 Egg
1 tsp Nigella Seeds (Black Seeds/Kalonji Seeds)
1 tsp Sesame Seeds
1/3 Cup Honey
1/3 Cup Condensed Milk
Method With Pictures
1. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar,
salt, warm milk, melted butter, plain or Greek yoghurt, and egg.
2. Mix everything together until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms. It
should feel smooth, stretchy, and easy to handle without sticking heavily to
your fingers. If it seems a little dry or crumbly, add 1 - 2 teaspoons of
milk to help bring it together.
3. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface, fold the edges into the centre,
and shape it into a smooth ball. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover,
and place in a dark/warm place; leave to rise for 1 hour.
4. While the dough rests, cut a block of cream cheese into small cubes
(around 1 cm, or larger if you prefer bigger buns). Set aside, and if the
kitchen is warm, chill the cubes in the fridge or freezer to keep them
firm.
5. After the dough has risen, pinch off small portions and roll each one
into a ball. Continue until all the dough is portioned off. This is where
you can choose your preferred size for the honeycomb bread, though
traditionally, they're small and bite-sized.
6. Take each dough ball, gently flatten it with your fingers, place a piece
of cream cheese in the centre, and pull the edges over to seal it
completely, forming a smooth ball again.
7. Arrange the filled dough balls in a baking pan, leaving slight gaps
between each piece so they have room to expand. Cover and let them rise for
another 30 minutes.
8. Beat an egg and brush it over the tops of the dough balls, which will
give it that golden finish when baked.
9. Sprinkle nigella seeds and sesame seeds over the egg-washed dough for
flavour and texture.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 - 30 minutes. They bake
quickly, so keep an eye on them to avoid burning.
11. Once baked, you can serve the honeycomb bread straight from the pan or
transfer it to a serving plate. While still hot, pour a generous drizzle of
condensed milk over the top.
12. Follow with a generous drizzle of honey so it seeps into all the
layers.
13. Allow the bread to soak up the sweet glaze for at least 10 - 15 minutes
before serving. Enjoy it warm, and reheat in the microwave if needed.
Method
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt, warm milk, melted butter, plain or Greek yoghurt, and egg.
- Mix everything together until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms. It should feel smooth, stretchy, and easy to handle without sticking heavily to your fingers. If it seems a little dry or crumbly, add 1 - 2 teaspoons of milk to help bring it together.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean surface, fold the edges in, and shape it into a smooth ball. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and place in a dark/warm place; leave to rise for 1 hour.
- While the dough rests, cut a block of cream cheese into small cubes (around 1 cm, or larger if you prefer bigger buns). Set aside, and if the kitchen is warm, chill the cubes in the fridge or freezer to keep them firm.
- After the dough has risen, pinch off small portions and roll each one into a ball. Continue until all the dough is used. This is where you can choose your preferred size for the honeycomb bread, though traditionally, they're small and bite-sized.
- Take each dough ball, gently flatten it with your fingers, place a piece of cream cheese in the centre, and pull the edges over to seal it completely, forming a smooth ball again.
- Arrange the filled dough balls in a baking pan, leaving slight gaps between each piece so they have room to expand. Cover and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
- Beat an egg and brush it over the tops of the dough balls, which will give them a golden finish when baked.
- Sprinkle nigella seeds and sesame seeds over the egg-washed dough for flavour and texture.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 - 30 minutes. They bake quickly, so keep an eye on them to avoid burning.
- Once baked, you can serve the honeycomb bread straight from the pan or transfer it to a serving plate. While still hot, pour a generous drizzle of condensed milk over the top. Leave it to soak into all the layers for atleast 10 - 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy it warm, and reheat in the microwave if needed.
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I hope you enjoy this
Honeycomb Bread Recipe,
If you'd like to check out other similar bread recipes
I've shared before; click here:
Honeycomb Bread Recipe,
If you'd like to check out other similar bread recipes
I've shared before; click here:
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