🇹 Ethiopian · Desserts
🌸 Ethiopian New Year Sweet (Enkutatash)
እንቁጣጣሽ ጣፋጭ — Enkutatash Tafach
Ethiopian New Year Sweet — honey-sesame cookies coloured golden with turmeric, shaped into rounds and decorated with a pattern inspired by the yellow Adey Abeba (new year daisy). Made for Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash, September 11th) — the yellow sweet that celebrates the yellow flowers of the season.
Enkutatash sweets are made specifically for September 11th — the colour is yellow (turmeric) to match the Adey Abeba daisies, the flavour is honey and sesame, and they are given to neighbours and friends as New Year gifts.
Heritage & Origin
Origin: All of Ethiopia — Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash) falls on September 11th
Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year) falls on September 11th (September 12th in leap years) and marks the end of the rainy season — the daisies bloom yellow across the highlands and children carry bouquets of the bright yellow Adey Abeba (Bidens pilosa) flowers from house to house singing songs. Sweets made for Enkutatash are therefore yellow-golden in colour — celebrating the yellow flowers of the new year. The traditional Enkutatash sweet is a honey-sesame combination shaped into small rounds, often coloured with turmeric for the yellow new year colour.
Ingredients
Equipment: Bowl, Oven at 170°C, Flower-shaped cutter (optional)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
- 4 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp turmeric (for golden colour)
- ¼ tsp ground fenugreek
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp water
Method
- Mix honey, sugar, egg, and oil.
- Combine flour, sesame, cardamom, turmeric, fenugreek, baking powder, and salt.
- Add wet ingredients to dry. Mix to a firm dough.
- Rest 20 minutes.
- Roll to 4mm. Cut into rounds or flower shapes.
- Place on lined baking sheet.
- Brush with honey-water glaze.
- Bake at 170°C 15—18 minutes.
- Cool completely.
Chef Tips
- The turmeric provides the yellow colour — do not reduce it.
- Flower-shaped cutters make them more festive.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Insufficient turmeric — the yellow colour is the visual statement.
The Science
Turmeric's curcumin is yellow-orange but relatively stable in baked goods — it retains its colour through the baking process, producing a distinctly golden cookie.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Turmeric anti-inflammatory.
- Sesame calcium.
- Honey antimicrobial.
Cultural Note
Enkutatash sweets are given between neighbours and friends on September 11th — the day that Ethiopian children sing New Year songs carrying yellow daisies from house to house. The golden sweet, the yellow flower, and the children's song together mark the beginning of a new Ethiopian year — one of the most joyful days in the Ethiopian calendar.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Airtight container — 2 weeks.
Reheating: Not needed.
Serve with: As New Year gifts, With Ethiopian coffee at New Year gatherings, Distributed to neighbours and children