Lebanese Maamoul
Tender semolina cookies filled with fragrant date paste and finished with traditional patterns.
Equipment
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Cookie mold or fork
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
Cookie dough
- 2 cups fine semolina
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup orange blossom water
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Date filling
- 1 1/2 cups date paste
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
Make the dough:
- Whisk the semolina, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- Stir in the melted butter until crumbly. Add the orange blossom water and milk and mix just until a soft dough forms.
- Cover and rest the dough for 30 minutes while you prepare the filling.
Fill and shape:
- Mix the date paste with the orange blossom water, cinnamon, and sesame seeds. Divide it into 24 small balls.
- Divide the dough into 24 pieces. Flatten each piece, wrap it around a date ball, and seal the edges.
- Press each cookie into a maamoul mold or decorate the top with a fork. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Bake:
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the bottoms are pale golden and the tops remain light.
- Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Dust with powdered sugar once fully cool, if desired.
Notes
- Maamoul should stay pale on top; overbaking makes the semolina shell dry.
- A simple fork pattern works when a traditional mold is unavailable.
Nutrition
Calories: 165kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 35mgFiber: 2gSugar: 12g