Maamoul (Date-Filled Cookies)

close up of six whole and one broken ma'amoul cookies on a plate.

5 from 9 votes

These delicate date-filled butter cookies are part of my Lebanese family’s celebration traditions. My Aunt Hilda taught me to shape maamoul with a decorative mold, but you can also shape them by hand. Orange blossom water perfumes the dough, and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar finishes each cookie.

Prep Time45

Cook Time15

Resting Time15

Total Time1 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Lebanese, Middle Eastern

Servings: cookies

Calories: 250kcal

Author: Maureen Abood

Ingredients

3/4 cup ghee or clarified butter, solid and at room temperature
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons orange blossom water, or vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups semolina flour
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed to adjust the dough and flour the mold or work surface
2 teaspoons mahleb, optional; replace with 2 teaspoons flour if omitting
1-3 tablespoons milk, any fat content, at room temperature, as needed
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar, for finishing
10 ounces date paste, or 20 pureed pitted Medjool dates, pureed

Instructions

Prepare the oven and pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
Whip the butter. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the ghee or clarified butter first on medium, then on high speed until creamy and light, about 3 minutes.
Add the sugar, egg, and flavoring. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the granulated sugar, egg, and orange blossom water or vanilla extract. Beat until thick, pale, and creamy, another 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice.
Mix in the dry ingredients. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, if using. Add the semolina flour, all-purpose flour, and mahleb, or the extra flour if omitting it. Stir with a spoon or rubber spatula until the dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed.
Adjust the dough. Squeeze a little dough between your fingers. If it sticks to your fingertips, add all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring and checking after each addition. If the dough feels dry or cracks, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time instead. The dough should be smooth, soft, and pliable.
Rest the dough. Set aside for about 15 minutes so the flour can absorb the moisture. Check the texture again and adjust with a little more flour or milk if needed. Another rest is not necessary.
Portion the dough. Roll a 1-ounce piece of dough between your palms into a ball. Shape and fill using either of the following methods.
To shape with a mold: Flour the inside of the mold and tap out the excess. Place the dough ball inside and press into its center to make a hollow, pushing the dough up above the mold’s edges. Shape about 1 tablespoon of date paste into a ball and place it in the hollow. Fold the dough from around the edges over the dates to enclose them completely, then smooth the exposed surface flat. Turn the mold face down and firmly whack the top corner of the mold head against your work surface once or twice to release the cookie. Carefully transfer to a prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, flouring the mold before each cookie and spacing the cookies 1 inch apart.
To shape without a mold: Lightly flour your work surface. Flatten the dough ball with your hand or a floured rolling pin into an oblong about ¼ inch thick, 2½ inches long, and 1½ inches wide. Shape about 1 tablespoon of date paste into a log slightly smaller than the dough and place it in the center. Bring the dough up around the filling and seal the edges together. Turn the log over and gently smooth it, closing any cracks. Press a fork into the top, or pinch with a strawberry huller, to make a deep decorative pattern that reaches through to the date filling. Carefully transfer to a prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, spacing the cookies 1 inch apart.
Bake. Bake one pan at a time in the center of the oven for 15 to 17 minutes per pan, until the cookies are pale golden brown. Watch closely during the last 5 minutes. If the tops begin to crack, remove the pan immediately.
Cool. Place each pan on a cooling rack. Leave the cookies undisturbed on the pan until completely cool, at least 1 hour.
Finish and serve. Sift confectioners’ sugar over the cooled cookies. If serving later, give them a fresh dusting just before serving.

Notes

Measure flour gently: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup without packing it down. Scooping directly from the bag can add too much flour and make the dough dry.
Use your hands to check the dough: Dough that cracks needs a little milk; dough that sticks to your fingers needs a little flour. Make adjustments gradually so it stays pliable enough to enclose the filling and firm enough to release from the mold.
To clarify your own butter: Melt 2 sticks of butter undisturbed in a saucepan over low heat, about 15 minutes. Skim off any solids floating on top, then pour the golden butter into a bowl, leaving the solids at the bottom of the pan behind. You should have about ¾ cup. Allow it to become solid before using; you can refrigerate it to firm it up, then bring it to room temperature. This preparation and cooling time is additional to the time listed above.
Baking and cooling time: Allow 15 to 17 minutes for each pan, baked separately. The first pan can cool while the second bakes, but the final pan still needs at least 1 hour to cool completely.
Storage: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature and dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Packing for gifts: Cushion the cookies between layers and around the edges of the container. I like scrunched-up wax paper to protect their delicate shapes.
Visit Our Shop: Pick up orange blossom water for your maamoul dough, then browse our tea collection for something to sip alongside your date-filled cookies.

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