Mahlab (mahleb): Flavor, Cooking Use and Health Facts
Mahlab is a cherry-stone spice that tastes of bitter almond and cherry and is used in sweet breads and pastries; it contains coumarin, and no study of it as a food or supplement was found.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
In the kitchen at a glance
Flavor:SweetBitterFloral
Aroma: Almond and cherry, a little like marzipan.
Used in: baking, desserts
Usual amount in food: One family cake recipe uses 2 teaspoons of ground mahlab for a 9 by 13 inch pan; USDA SR Legacy has no entry for mahlab.
What it is
Mahlab (also written mahleb or mahlep) is the seed kernel found inside the stone of the mahaleb or St Lucie cherry, Prunus mahaleb. [1] The stones are cracked open and the soft kernel, about 5 mm across, is taken out and dried. [1][2] The tree grows widely around the Mediterranean, in southeast Europe and in west Asia. Cooks in Greece, Armenia, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria use it most, and Syria is the main exporter. [3] The tree is also used as a rootstock for grafting sweet cherries. [3] It goes by many names, including Greek mahlepi, Turkish mahlep and Spanish cerezo de Santa Lucía. [3]Flavor and aroma
Mahlab tastes like a mix of bitter almond and cherry, a little like marzipan. [1] Some cooks also notice a hint of rose. [2] One spice reference says the kernel is bitter at first, and after chewing a flavor like tonka bean or bitter almond appears. [3] The same source thinks coumarins are probably the main flavor compounds, but says the volatile compounds are poorly documented. [3] In baked goods the scent is strong and the taste is subtle. [2] It suits sweet, egg-rich doughs, nuts and honey. [1][2]How it is used in cooking
Mahlab is sold whole or ground. Whole kernels are ground to a powder just before use. [1][2][3]- Greece: holiday breads such as christopsomo, vasilopita and tsoureki. [1]
- Turkey: poğaça scones and other pastries. [1]
- Arab Middle East: ma'amoul filled cookies. [1][3]
- Armenia: choreg bread and cookies; one family recipe also adds ground anise, fennel and ginger. [2]
- Cyprus: flaounes, cheese pies. [3]
- Egypt: powdered mahlab mixed into a paste with honey, sesame and nuts, eaten as a snack with bread. [1]
It is mainly a sweet-baking spice, used in small amounts. [3] The sources we read do not say when to add it, whether to toast it, or what to use in its place, so we give no rules here.
Normal food amounts
USDA SR Legacy has no entry for mahlab, so we give no grams per teaspoon and no nutrient numbers.| Measure | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ground mahlab in one family cake recipe (9 by 13 inch pan) | 2 teaspoons | Recipe site [2] |
| Same recipe, halved by a reader for an 8 by 8 inch pan | 1 teaspoon | Recipe site comment [2] |
| Grams per teaspoon | Not found | No USDA entry |
That is one cook's recipe, not an official or typical amount. We found no source that states a usual amount. Literature values cited in a 2023 study put the kernel at about 31% protein and about 40% oil. [4] A teaspoon in a whole cake is a small share per slice, so mahlab is a flavoring, not a food that adds nutrients.
Buying, storing and preparing
- Forms: whole kernels or ground powder, sold in Middle Eastern shops or online. [2] The author of one recipe site prefers whole. [2]
- Grinding: grind just before use. The powder loses flavor and spoils quickly. [2][3]
- Storing: keep ground mahlab cool and dry and buy small amounts. Whole kernels keep well in the freezer. [2] Because the kernels are rich in oil they can go rancid, possibly within one or two years even whole. [3]
- Two types: a 2023 study compared white and red seeds and found different chemistry in each, but it does not say which one shops usually sell. [4]
- Adulteration or contamination: the sources we read do not describe any for mahlab.
Health: what research says
Eating a pinch of a spice in a cake is very different from taking concentrated products. We found no human trial of mahlab, as food or as a supplement.Food amounts vs supplements
| In normal cooking | In supplements and extracts | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical amount | 1 to 2 teaspoons ground in a whole cake, from one recipe [2] | No official or trial amount found |
| What studies mostly used | No study of mahlab as a food found | Lab chemistry work on seeds and fruit; no human trial found [4][5] |
| What we can say about benefit | Nothing; no evidence either way | Nothing for people; reviews list antioxidant and similar effects, but the 2023 authors did not test them [4] |
| Main safety limit | Coumarin content is not measured in a typical serving [4][5] | Not studied; no amount can be given |
What the evidence shows
| Use | What the sources found | Strength of evidence | Form and population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any health use in people | We found no human trial | Insufficient evidence | None |
| Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial effects | A 2023 paper says mahlab is reported to have these effects, and says it did not test them [4] | Lab or animal only | Seed chemistry; reported effects, not tested |
| Coumarin content | Kernels measured about 0.87 mg per gram and pitted berries about 0.63 mg per gram in one Italian study. [5] White seeds had more coumarin and herniarin than red seeds in another study. [4] | Lab or animal only | Analyses of kernels and fruit |
| Cyanide-forming compounds | A 2023 analysis found an amygdalin compound only in red and roasted red seeds. [4] A spice reference says earlier literature did not report amygdalin-type compounds. [3] | Insufficient evidence | Seed analyses |
Official statements
- BfR (Germany): tolerable daily intake of coumarin 0.1 mg per kg of body weight, which EFSA calculated as the same value. It is about coumarin in general, not mahlab. [6]
- Mahlab itself: we found no EFSA, FDA, WHO or NCCIH statement about it.
Related pages
Health connections for Mahlab (mahleb)
What research links to this spice, and how strong the evidence is. Most studies use concentrated extracts or doses far above what you eat; each card says which.
No human trial found
Not enough evidenceWe found no human trial of mahlab as food, extract or supplement.
Supplements: No evidence for food amounts or supplements.
Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects (reported, untested)
Lab or animal research onlyA 2023 paper says mahlab is reported to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antifungal effects and states that it did not test them.
Supplements: Lab or reported effects only; not shown in people.
Other uses in people (pregnancy, medicines, allergy)
Not enough evidenceThe sources we read do not describe pregnancy, breastfeeding, child, allergy or medicine-interaction data for mahlab.
Supplements: Unknown for food and supplements.
Connected topics
Open a group to see how each topic connects and how strong the evidence is.
Body systems (1)
- Hepatic / Liver SystemDocumented risk
The kernel contains coumarin, which regulators link to liver effects in sensitive people at high intake. No mahlab-specific safe amount was found.
Body parts (1)
- LiverDocumented risk
Coumarin in the kernel is the compound behind the liver limit; applies to large daily intakes, not a pinch in baking.
Documented risks and interactions (2)
- Coumarin content of the kernel (liver limit). Kernels measured about 0.87 mg coumarin per gram and pitted berries about 0.63 mg per gram in one Italian study; white seeds had more coumarin and herniarin than red in another. BfR gives a tolerable intake of 0.1 mg coumarin per kg body weight per day and links coumarin to liver damage in sensitive people.
- Cyanide-forming compounds in cherry-family seeds. One 2023 analysis found an amygdalin compound only in red and roasted red seeds; a spice reference says earlier literature did not report amygdalin-type compounds. A Texas A&M page says Prunus seeds contain glycosides that break down to cyanide, but it is about Prunus generally.
Frequently asked questions
Is mahlab sweet?
It tastes of bitter almond and cherry, like marzipan, and is used in sweet baking. [1] The raw kernel is bitter. [3]
How much is normal?
One family cake recipe uses 2 teaspoons of ground mahlab in a 9 by 13 inch pan. [2] We found no official or usual amount.
Is it safe in pregnancy?
The sources we read do not say. Mahlab contains coumarin, so ask your midwife or doctor. [4][5]
Can I take it with medicines?
The sources we read name no medicine interactions for mahlab. Ask a pharmacist if you take any regular medicine and use it often.
Does mahlab contain cyanide?
Cherry-family seeds contain compounds that can release cyanide. [7] One 2023 study found an amygdalin compound in red mahlab seeds. [4] We found no amount or human safety data for mahlab, so do not eat kernels in quantity.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety note at a glance
Safety in more detail
- Medicines: the sources we read do not describe medicine interactions for mahlab.
- Pregnancy: the sources we read do not describe this. Ask your midwife or doctor.
- Breastfeeding: the sources we read do not describe this.
- Children: the sources we read do not describe this.
- Allergy: the sources we read do not describe mahlab allergy. It is a stone-fruit seed, but we found no source on cross-reactivity.
- Liver and kidney: Germany's BfR says coumarin can damage the liver, seen in animal tests and in people given coumarin as a drug. A small group of especially sensitive people developed liver damage within a few weeks. [6] The 2023 authors say coumarin should be measured before food use. [4] The sources we read do not describe kidney problems.
- Surgery: the sources we read do not describe a surgery warning.
- Quality and contamination: none described for mahlab in the sources we read.
- Amounts that cause trouble: no amount is known for mahlab. Cherry-family seeds contain cyanide-forming compounds, and a Texas A&M page says they break down to free cyanide in the gut. That page is about Prunus in general and its animal-poisoning section does not name mahaleb. [7] As a reference point only, BfR's tolerable intake for coumarin is 0.1 mg per kg of body weight per day. [6] If a kernel matched the 0.87 mg per gram found in one sample, a 60 kg adult would reach that figure at about 7 g of kernel. This is our arithmetic, from one sample, not BfR's advice. [5][6]
References
- Wikipedia — Mahleb. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahleb (accessed 2026-10-24)
- The Armenian Kitchen — A Lesson in Mahlab (Mahleb). https://thearmeniankitchen.com/?p=1189 (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages — Mahaleb cherry (Prunus mahaleb). https://gernot-katzers-spice-pages.com/engl/Prun_mah.html (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Profiling of primary and phytonutrients in edible mahlab cherry (Prunus mahaleb L.) seeds in the context of its different cultivars and roasting. PeerJ 2023. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10474835/ (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Ieri F, Pinelli P, Romani A — Simultaneous determination of anthocyanins, coumarins and phenolic acids in fruits, kernels and liqueur of Prunus mahaleb L. Food Chem 2012; abstract page. https://flore.unifi.it/handle/2158/775163 (accessed 2026-10-24)
- BfR (Germany) — FAQ on coumarin in cinnamon and other foods. https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/frequentlyaskedquestionsoncoumarinincinnamonandother_foods-8487.html (accessed 2026-10-24)
- Texas A&M AgriLife — Wild plum, cherry, peach (Prunus species; livestock poisoning). https://rangeplants.tamu.edu/?p=269 (accessed 2026-10-24)