Description
Maamoul are traditional Middle Eastern date-filled cookies characterized by their buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture and delicate fragrance of rose water. These festive treats are a staple during Eid, Christmas, and Easter celebrations across the Levant, featuring a soft date filling encased in a rich, tender dough.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 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
- ¾ lb soft Medjool dates (pitted and chopped, or approximately 13 oz ready-made date paste)
For Dusting
- Confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ghee (or butter and oil if using), sugar, and rose water. Mix well until creamy and smooth. Gradually add the all-purpose flour, stirring continuously to form a soft dough. If the dough feels too dry, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk, one at a time, until the dough is pliable but not sticky.
- Prepare the Filling: If using Medjool dates, pit and finely chop them or process into a paste using a food processor. The filling should be smooth and easily moldable into small balls.
- Shape the Cookies: Take a golf-ball-sized piece of dough and flatten it in your palm. Place about a teaspoon of the date filling in the center. Fold the dough around the filling, sealing it completely and shaping it into a ball. Optionally, use a Maamoul mold or fork to imprint patterns on the cookie surface for traditional decoration.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the shaped cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about an inch apart. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the bottom edges start to turn a light golden color; avoid overbaking to maintain their softness.
- Cool and Dust: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, dust generously with confectioner’s sugar before serving to enhance their delicate sweetness.
Notes
- Maamoul cookies are traditionally enjoyed during religious celebrations like Eid, Christmas, and Easter throughout the Middle East.
- The combination of ghee and rose water gives these cookies their characteristic aroma and melt-in-the-mouth texture.
- For variation, you can also fill Maamoul with other fillings like walnuts or pistachios.
- Use soft Medjool dates for a naturally sweet and moist filling without adding extra sugar.
- Careful not to overbake to keep the cookies tender and preserve the buttery texture.
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
