Maamoul – Date filled cookies
Description
I tried maamoul the first time a couple of years back when I was in highschool. I remember we had a family friend who was living in Saudi Arabia back then and he brought these cookies to us. They were simply delicious! Naturally sweetened because of the dates, buttery, soft and with a pleasant semolina taste!
Maamoul cookies are very popular throughout Middle Eastern countries. It is not very clear where they originated, but it is said that they came into existence in ancient Egypt when they were called "kahk". They are associated with religious celebrations like Iftar or Easter.
Usually it takes a lot of time to make them, but I have tested a rapid method which will give you the authentic taste in a short period of time!
Disclaimer: Since the dough is a much shorter and faster option to the classic dough which requires at least 2 days to make, this one will be a little bit crumbly, but the moment you form the cookies, make sure you smooth them nice with your hands and make sure there are no cracks. Even if they crack a little that is fine, they will still be delicious.
Ingredients
Instructions
-
Making the dough
Start by making the dough. In a big bowl, add the flour, baking powder, semolina and mix everything well. For this cookies, you can use the durum wheat semolina which is used for pizza and pasta (this is the one that I have used, it is available in Carrefour Romania). Add the melted butter slowly and start kneading until you form a dough. It will be crumbly but don't worry, it will look better once you add the milk. Semolina is key in maamoul cookies as it gives crunchiness and a distinct taste, so don't miss it! After that, add 1 tbsp of rose water and the milk gradually and keep mixing. If the dough looks too dry, add 10 more ml or one more tbsp. Set aside.
-
Make the filling
Mix the dates paste with 1 tbsp of rose water and portion it into 20 small balls. Take a small piece of dough, flatten it with your hand and add the dates filling to it. Cover the filling with the dough until you form a ball. Take the cookie and press it int the maamoul mould (if you don't have it, that's fine, you can use a fork if you want to draw some models on them) and place it on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Repeat the steps with the remaining cookies. Bake for approximately 30 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius or until golden brown. These cookies can be filled with walnuts or pistachios as well but in that case sugar is added. They are very versatile and delicious!
Enjoy!
English 
Română