Have you ever heard of this spice? We saw it at Penzeys and were so intrigued! Mahlab is the seed of a particular sour cherry tree native to Iran and the ground spice is used widely in Middle Eastern baking. Apparently, the flavor it adds is reminiscent of both sour cherries and bitter almonds. Sounds good to us!
Mahlab seeds are extracted from the cracked cherry pits and then dried before being sold as a spice. The kernels are tan-colored and quite small, only about 1/4 inch or so across. The whole spice can be easily ground in a grinder like the one pictured above or using a mortar and pestle. You might also see this spice called mahaleb, mahlep, or even St. Lucie kernels.
It's nutty, slightly sour flavor is found in a lot of traditional sweet breads throughout the Middle East, like Greek tsoureki and Turkish kahvalti corekleri. Even if the recipe doesn't specifically call for it, try adding a scant teaspoon per cup of flour in your favorite sweet breads!
Like nutmeg and cinnamon, this spice can do double duty in savory dishes as well. Whole seeds can be added to a hearty braise or use the ground spice in spice rubs and marinades. We think this flavor would go especially well with lamb.
Here are a few sources for the spice and recipes to try!
• Mahlab seeds, $3.15 for a 1 ounce jar at Penzeys
• More about mahlab at Chow.com
• Tsoureki Greek Easter Bread from Chow.com
• Armenian Brioche filled with Dates, Honey and Walnuts from The Perfect Pantry
• Lebanese Bread Rings with Sesame and Mahlab from a Taste of Beirut
Have you ever cooked with this spice?
Related: Dark Sweet Cherries: Ten Cherry Recipes for June
(Image: Flickr member La.Catholique licensed under Creative Commons)
Pack Your Lunch! Favorite Recipes & Tips To Help You Eat a Great Lunch
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Straw Mat from The ...
Find Your Style: 20 Classic to Contemporary Kitchens to Add to Your Inspiration Board
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
It's good stuff! Very nice in cookies. I just whiz it in a coffee grinder (like I do all my spices).
I got mine at a Greek store, from a Greek brand of spices.
It's also often used in brewing - ales, ciders, meads, etc.
Are these toxic? Usually that almond flavor in pits is cyanide.
Every Easter I make several batches of tsoureki, which is a rich brioche style bread, at my non-Greek relatives request. Mahlab (or mahalepi as we call it) definitely gives it a little je ne sais quoi and is the "secret" ingredient to making it amazing!
very similar to tsoureki, the armenians make choreg, which has mahlab. my grandmother makes giant batches and ships them off to all of the grandchildren, they are sooooo good and i can never make them exactly right.
is there any way to grind the mahleb seeds if you don't have a coffee grinder? my sister just bought some from penzey's.
Oooh yes! I love mahlab!
I soak mahlab seeds in a warmed liquid, strain, and used the flavored liquid in bread. I do that in breads for Christmas and Easter but I've actually never tried using them ground.