Algerian desserts reflect the country’s layered history — Amazigh Indigenous traditions, Arab and Andalusian influence following the Moorish expulsion from Spain in 1492, Ottoman rule from the 16th century, and 132 years of French colonial presence ending with independence in 1962. Each layer contributed ingredients, techniques, and preparations that coexist in contemporary Algerian baking without fully merging.

Makrout are semolina diamonds filled with date paste and fried or baked, then soaked in honey — one of the most widely made Algerian pastries and also common across Tunisia and Libya with regional variations. Dziriyet are almond and orange blossom cookies, delicate and lightly sweet, associated with Algiers and considered one of the most refined expressions of the Arab-Andalusian pastry tradition that arrived with Moorish refugees from Spain. Tamina is a traditional Amazigh preparation made from roasted semolina mixed with honey and butter — simple, dense, and eaten warm — associated with celebrations and postpartum recovery in Kabyle communities.

French colonial presence introduced European baking equipment, refined flour, and patisserie techniques that were adopted and adapted by Algerian bakers. Contemporary Algerian bakeries in cities like Algiers and Oran produce both traditional preparations and French-influenced cakes and pastries, a duality that reflects the colonial history without resolving it. Algerian diaspora communities in France — estimated at over 1.5 million people — have maintained and adapted Algerian pastry traditions in French cities, where Algerian patisseries operate alongside French ones.

The Kabyle Amazigh community of the Kabylie region in northern Algeria maintains distinct food traditions separate from Arab Algerian cooking, with Amazigh-language names for preparations and ingredient combinations that reflect pre-Arab food culture. Tamina is one of the clearest examples of this distinct tradition.