Levantine cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Maamoul

Delicate semolina shortbread pastries with date or nut filling – the Levant's festive holiday cookie.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 300 g fine semolina
• 150 g flour
• 200 g soft butter
• 3 tbsp orange blossom water
• 4 tbsp milk
• 1 pinch salt
• 250 g soft dates (pitted)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 50 g walnuts
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Mix the semolina, flour and salt, work in the soft butter, and knead with the orange blossom water and milk into a smooth dough; let rest for 30 min.
2. Blend the dates with the cinnamon and 1 tbsp water into a paste, then mix in the chopped walnuts.
3. Roll the date mixture into cherry-sized balls.
4. Pinch off walnut-sized pieces of dough, shape into small bowls, enclose a date ball in each and seal into a round shape.
5. Press a pattern into the top with a fork, or classically with a maamoul mold.
6. Bake at 180 °C for 20–22 min – they should stay pale, turning golden only on the bottom.
7. Let cool and dust with powdered sugar; stored in a tin, they keep for two weeks.