Description
Maamoul are traditional Middle Eastern date-filled cookies that are buttery and melt-in-your-mouth. They are naturally sweetened, delicately scented with rose water, and are popular treats during festive occasions like Eid, Christmas, and Easter across the Levant region.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- ¾ cup ghee (or 1 cup butter, you may substitute up to ¼ cup ghee with a neutral oil)
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons rose water (or orange blossom water)
- 2–3 tablespoons milk (as needed)
Filling Ingredients
- ¾ lb soft Medjool dates (pitted and chopped, or ~13 oz ready-made date paste)
Finishing
- Confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Date Filling: If not using ready-made date paste, pit and finely chop the Medjool dates. Set aside the sweet and soft date filling, ensuring it’s pliable enough to form into small balls for the cookie centers.
- Make the Dough: In a mixing bowl, combine the ghee or butter with sugar, then add rose water or orange blossom water. Gradually incorporate the all-purpose flour until a crumbly dough forms. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, and knead gently until the dough is soft and pliable but not sticky.
- Shape the Cookies: Pinch off small portions of dough and flatten them into discs. Place a small ball of date filling in the center of each disc, then fold the dough over to encase the filling, sealing the edges. Shape the cookies into traditional Maamoul molds or gently press with a fork or patterned stamp to create decorative imprints.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 12–15 minutes or until they turn lightly golden around the edges.
- Cool and Finish: Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, dust generously with confectioner’s sugar before serving to add a sweet finishing touch and enhance their traditional look.
Notes
- Maamoul cookies are best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.
- You can substitute rose water with orange blossom water depending on your flavor preference.
- If the dough is too dry, add a little more milk, one teaspoon at a time, to achieve the right consistency.
- Traditionally, Maamoul molds impart distinctive decorative patterns on the cookies, but you can use a fork or simply shape by hand if molds are unavailable.
- These cookies are naturally sweetened by dates, making them a wholesome dessert option.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 105 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0.001 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 11 mg
