Maamoul (Date-Filled Cookies)

Name: Maamoul (Date-Filled Cookies)
Prep time: 75 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 93 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups fine semolina; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for dough); 1 cup unsalted butter, softened; 2 tsp rose water (for dough); 1/4 cup whole milk; 1 lb pitted Medjool dates; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground cardamom; 1 tsp rose water (for filling); 2 tsp unsalted butter (for filling); 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for dusting)

Buttery semolina shortbread shells with a spiced date and rose water filling, pressed into decorative molds and dusted with powdered sugar - the quintessential Levantine holiday cookie. Plan ahead: the dough benefits from a 30-minute rest before shaping.

93 minHardServes 24180 cal/serving

Middle EasternDessertOvenVegetarianHalal-friendlyNut-FreeLow-SodiumPork-FreeAlcohol-FreeNightshade-Free

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups fine semolina
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar (for dough)
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp rose water (for dough)
1/4 cup whole milk
1 lb pitted Medjool dates
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp rose water (for filling)
2 tsp unsalted butter (for filling)
1/4 cup powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

1

Make the dough: in a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups fine semolina and 1 cup all-purpose flour. Rub in 1 cup softened unsalted butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles damp sand. Add 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for dough), 2 tsp rose water (for dough), and 1/4 cup whole milk and knead gently until a cohesive but soft dough forms. Cover and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2

Make the filling: combine 1 lb pitted Medjool dates in a small saucepan with 2 tsp unsalted butter (for filling), 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground cardamom, and 1 tsp rose water (for filling). Warm over low heat, mashing and stirring for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture forms a smooth, pliable paste. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Roll into small balls (about 1 teaspoon each).
3

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
4

Pinch off a walnut-sized piece of dough. Flatten it in your palm, place a date ball in the center, and wrap the dough evenly around it, sealing tightly. Press into a maamoul mold and tap out firmly, or roll into a smooth ball and press with a fork for a decorative pattern.
5

Arrange cookies on the prepared baking sheets spaced about 1 inch apart. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes - they should be barely golden on the bottom and pale on top. Do not overbake; they firm as they cool.
6

Cool completely on a wire rack, then dust generously with 1/4 cup powdered sugar (for dusting). Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Questions

Can I make Maamoul (Date-Filled Cookies) dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, 1/4 cup whole milk, 2 tsp unsalted butter (for filling). Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed; the milk for unsweetened oat or soy milk. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Maamoul (Date-Filled Cookies) gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 1 1/2 cups fine semolina, 1 cup all-purpose flour. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works). Everything else proceeds as written.

Can I make Maamoul (Date-Filled Cookies) ahead?

Yes, it takes well to being made ahead. Store it airtight: two to three days at room temperature or up to a week refrigerated. It freezes for up to two months; thaw at room temperature.

Can I halve or double Maamoul (Date-Filled Cookies)?

Yes. As written it serves 24. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Doubled, split it across two pans and rotate them halfway; one crowded pan bakes unevenly.

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