A Middle Eastern Dessert Serves Up Royal Treatment With Knafeh Queens

When Fatmah Muhammad launched her award-winning dessert company in 2018, her call to action with Knafeh Queens was to fulfill “a God-given purpose.”

Knafeh is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert with spun pastry, soaked in a sugar-based syrup, typically layered with cheese and other ingredients depending on the region. The dessert has a long history, but its creation dates back to Nabulus, a Palestinian city. “Knafeh Nabulsiyeh” is known to be one of Palestine’s most popular desserts.

There are a variety of reasons that lead to Muhammad eventually launching Knafeh Queens.

“We were hearing so much negative rhetoric around Muslims and women, but I’m really good at interacting with people,” said Fatmah Muhammad. “I’m a social butterfly and I like talking to any and everybody, whatever walk of life you’re in. My eldest daughter was like, ‘Mama, everyone loves our Knafeh, so why don’t we sell it?’ Then I got all these different signs [from my friends and God] to launch Knafeh Queens.”

If you live in the Southern California area, you can have Knafeh Queens delivered. If not, you can order from the website and have the dessert shipped. There are a variety of flavors to choose from, available in a pack of six cupcakes (The Knafeh Princess), a pie (The Knafeh Queen), a heart-shaped pie (The Knafeh Queen of Hearts), a pack of 12 mini cupcakes (The Knafeh Prince), a two-layer cake (The Royal Knafeh) or as a tray (The Knafeh King).

Fatmah Muhammad prides herself on Knafeh Queens not only being an organically grown business but, most importantly, a venture that is based on her ancestor’s history and family roots.

“Knafeh is a passion for me; I’ve been making it since I was seven,” she said. “It was such a beautiful thing that united people when my mom made it. I have such good memories of it, so I thought if my mom could build bridges with our neighbors growing up in Missouri, then I could do that with my kids on a larger scale.”

The business has grown since its humble beginnings four years ago. What started with just her family (thanks to help from her husband, her sons and her two daughters) is now featured in grocery stores, coffee shops and shipped around the country

“We’ve never paid a penny on marketing,” said Fatmah Muhammad. “When we started, we had little. My husband was a full-time student. With our first bit of money we made, we bought our dough shredder, and, after that, we could afford other little kitchen gadgets. A year later, we could afford to rent out our commercial kitchen.”

As for the future, she said they strive to stick to their slogan, “Serving royal happiness and unity with every bite.” And she prays her Knafeh can be served “in every city and every corner of the country.” Her young baker in training also has a wish.

Said Kareemah Williams, her youngest daughter: “We want to spread happiness, joy and love through every bite.”