Name: Ma'amoul (Lebanese Date Cookies)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 575 min
Ingredients: 2 cups semolina flour; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 0.5 teaspoon ground mahlab; 0.5 teaspoon salt; 1 cup clarified butter, at room temperature; 5 tablespoons milk; 2 tablespoons white sugar; 1 teaspoon active dry yeast; 4 tablespoons orange blossom water, or more as needed; 10 tablespoons date paste (such as Ziyad®), cut into small pieces; 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, or to taste

Ma'amoul (Lebanese Date Cookies)

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After a few phone calls with my mom and grandma, I managed to write a detailed recipe for one of my favorite Lebanese sweets, ma'amoul. They take time to make, but are not very difficult. Wooden ma'amoul molds give them their distinctive decorative shapes.

Recipe by LauraF

Published on June 24, 2020

Prep Time:

45 mins

Cook Time:

30 mins

Additional Time:

8 hrs 20 mins

Total Time:

9 hrs 35 mins

Servings:

Yield:

4 dozen

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

2 cups semolina flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground mahlab
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup clarified butter, at room temperature
5 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
4 tablespoons orange blossom water, or more as needed
10 tablespoons date paste (such as Ziyad®), cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons powdered sugar, or to taste

Directions

Mix semolina flour, all-purpose flour, mahlab, and salt together in a large bowl. Work clarified butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until thoroughly incorporated. Cover bowl and let dough rest at room temperature, 8 hours to overnight.
Pour milk into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until just warm, about 15 seconds. Stir in sugar and yeast until dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Pour yeast mixture and orange blossom water over the dough and mix until evenly moistened. Pinch off a piece of dough and roll into a ball; it should hold its shape without cracking. Add more milk or orange blossom water if needed. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Sprinkle some flour over the ma'amoul molds and tap out the excess. Pinch off a walnut-sized piece of dough and roll into a ball. Press your thumb into the ball to create space for the filling. Work the edges with your fingers so the sides are even and fairly thin. Drop in a piece of date paste and pinch dough over it to seal.
Place cookie into the mold cavity seam-side up. Press down so that the top is flush with edges of the mold. Trim off any excess dough. Invert the mold and tap it against your work surface to release the cookie. Repeat with remaining dough and date paste, arranging cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
Bake in the preheated oven, 1 baking sheet at a time, until edges and bottoms are golden but tops are still mostly pale, about 15 minutes.
Sift powdered sugar over the cookies while still slightly warm. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Cook's Notes:

You can find the wooden molds (and any of the specialized ingredients) online or in Middle Eastern markets.

A mix of orange blossom water and rosewater is traditional. I didn't use rosewater because I had run out, but I didn't miss it.

See "How to Make Clarified Butter" on Allrecipes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

57	Calories
4g	Fat
4g	Carbs
0g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 48
Calories 57
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4g	6%
Saturated Fat 3g	14%
Cholesterol 11mg	4%
Sodium 25mg	1%
Total Carbohydrate 4g	2%
Dietary Fiber 0g	1%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 0g
Calcium 3mg	0%
Iron 0mg	1%
Potassium 20mg	0%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.