Maamoul Recipe (Middle Eastern Cookies with Dates or Nuts)
Maamoul cookies are sweet, buttery, melt-in-the-mouth Middle Eastern cookies with dates or pistachio/walnut fillings. They are perfect for enjoying at Easter and Eid celebrations or year-round!
Date filling: add all the date filling ingredients to a small food processor and grind into a paste consistency. (Check the FAQs for an alternative method.) If you aren't using Medjool dates, you will probably need to soak the dates first. Simply transfer them to a bowl, cover them with hot water, and leave to soak for 10 minutes.Then, divide the mixture into 1 ½ tablespoon-sized portions and make them into balls. Then transfer them to the refrigerator.This mixture will be sticky, so it may be helpful to slightly oil your hands OR use kitchen gloves while rolling.
Nut fillings: In a food processor, roughly process the nut of choice until slightly chunky. Then mix in the spices and sugar syrup and pulse until combined. Separate into 1 ½ tablespoon portions of the walnut/pistachio filling, shape into balls, and then set aside or refrigerate.
Step 2: Prepare the Maamoul Dough
Sift the flour in a large bowl. Then mix in the semolina and ghee, mixing with your hands. After a while, the semolina will soften as it soaks up the ghee.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside in the fridge to rest for at least 3 hours or overnight (8-10 hours). It’s best to gently stir the mixture every few hours, too (if possible).
The following day, add the kaak spice, milk powder, and powdered sugar, and then gradually add water, just a tablespoon at a time until a dough that holds together is formed.
Step 3: Assemble the Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350ºF/175ºC.
Scoop around two tablespoons of the dough at one time and form it into a ball shape, then flatten the dough ball and hold it in the palm of your hand to form a "well."
Press your filling of choice in the well and then carefully close it by bringing the edges of the dough together and sealing. Then smooth it out with your fingers.
Transfer the dough to your wooden mold of choice and press gently, but enough to take the shape well, OR use a fork to make your own patterns by hand. To remove it from the mold, tap it hard against your kitchen counter. Then repeat with the remaining ingredients.Adding a small amount of flour to the mold or using a layer of plastic wrap can make it easier to remove each cookie from the mold.
Step 4: Bake Them
Transfer the prepared maamoul cookies to a parchment paper-lined baking tray, with 1-2 inches of space between each cookie.
Transfer the tray/s to the oven and bake for between 20-25 minutes until the maamoul cookies are lightly golden.
Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool, then dust over some icing sugar and enjoy! I love mine with a cup of tea or black coffee.
Make-Ahead and Store
Make ahead: The flour, semolina, and ghee/butter mixture can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before continuing with the recipe. Likewise, all the fillings can be prepared and shaped 2-3 days in advance, too. Store: Store the maamoul cookies in an airtight container on the kitchen counter for 3 days for the best flavor. However, you can often store them for up to 2 weeks (in the refrigerator). Freeze: First, flash freeze the cookies on a baking tray, transfer them to an airtight container/Ziplock bag, and store them in the freezer for 2 months. Allow them to thaw either on the counter and optionally even lightly warm them in the oven before re-serving.
Notes
Don’t overstuff maamoul: Otherwise, they’re more likely to crack while baking.
When rolling the date paste: Using some oil or kitchen gloves can help avoid too much sticking to your palms/fingers.
Molds come in different sizes: I used a larger one. Smaller ones will require only around a tbsp of the dough and 1- 1 ½ tsp of the date/pistachio/ walnut filling.
Use different molds per filling: This will help you tell them apart. In fact, commercially, different shapes are used to signify different fillings. For example, round with a flat top is often date maamoul, a cone shape it maamoul with walnuts, and oblong are pistachio maamoul. You can use whichever shapes you prefer, though.
Avoid overworking the dough: As we’re using wheat flour, the gluten can become overworked – which is why we deal with it over several hours and rub the ingredients into the dough rather than kneading it. That way, you’ll end up with wonderfully crumbly, tender maamoul cookies.
Don’t skip the chilling stage: This helps make the dough easier to work with and form and prevent cracking while the cookies bake.
Optional Add-ins and Variations
Vanilla extract: Add a small amount of (homemade) vanilla extract to the dough for extra flavor.
Almond extract: A few drops added to the maamoul dough tastes wonderful.
Anise: A small amount of anise would work well within the maamoul with dates.
Rose water: A small amount (1-2tbsp) of rosewater can be added to either the maamoul dough or the fillings.
Orange blossom: Instead of rose water, you could use orange blossom water.
Mahlab: Mahlab is a popular addition to maamoul cookies, but one I’ve actually never tried. The spice is made from ground cherry pits with a cherry-almond-anise-like aroma/flavor (which is why almond extract and anise are sometimes added as replacements).
Ginger: A small amount of finely chopped crystallized ginger added to the maamoul with walnuts is a popular addition in Turkey. It will also work with the date filling too, though.
Vegan: You could try the recipe with dairy-free milk powder and butter (or use coconut oil), though I haven’t tried, so I can’t guarantee what the results would be.
READ THE BLOG POST FOR FAQs AND OTHER INGREDIENT NOTES!