Ma'amoul

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C fan / 200°C conventional and line a small baking tray with baking paper. In a bowl, whisk together the fine semolina, all-purpose flour, caster sugar, baking powder, and fine salt so the leavening is evenly distributed.

   120 g fine semolina40 g all-purpose flour20 g caster sugar2 g baking powder1 g fine salt
2. 2

   Pour in the melted butter and rub it thoroughly into the semolina mixture with your fingertips for 2 to 3 minutes, until all the grains look evenly moistened and sandy. This coating step is key to a tender, short crumb.

   70 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
3. 3

   Mix the milk, rose water, and orange blossom water, then add to the bowl. Stir just until a soft dough forms with no dry patches; do not knead heavily or the cookies will lose their delicate texture.

   30 ml milk5 ml rose water5 ml orange blossom water
4. 4

   In a separate bowl, work the date paste with the softened butter, rose water, and orange blossom water until smooth and pliable. Divide the filling into 8 small pieces and roll them into balls.

   100 g date paste8 g unsalted butter, softened2 ml rose water2 ml orange blossom water
5. 5

   Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Flatten one piece in your palm, place a date filling ball in the center, and wrap the dough around it, pinching well to seal. Roll gently into a smooth ball and lightly flatten. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. If using a ma'amoul mold, press each filled ball seam-side up into the mold, then tap out.

6. 6

   Arrange the shaped ma'amoul on the tray with a little space between them. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the bottoms are pale golden and the tops are set but still fairly light; authentic ma'amoul should not brown deeply.

7. 7

   Let the cookies rest on the tray for 10 minutes so they firm up without cracking, then transfer to a rack. Once warm rather than hot, dust lightly with icing sugar and serve.

   10 g icing sugar

Origin & History

Ma'amoul is a cherished Levantine pastry made for celebrations such as Eid, Easter, and family gatherings, with especially deep roots in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and surrounding regions. The molded semolina cookies are traditionally filled with dates, walnuts, or pistachios, and their decorative patterns often indicate the filling inside.