Maamoul is a filled butter cookie made with semolina flour. The filling is traditionally made with dates, but some people also make it with nuts such as pistachios or walnuts and occasionally almonds. In the Arab world, Maamoul is usually made for special occasions such as Eid and Easter.
The video is long but I advise you to watch it. I filmed my mom making it and she shows a lot of great technique that can help you understand how it’s made even if you don’t speak Arabic.
A few tips:
- Do not add hot melted butter, allow to cool down before mixing in with the semolina.
- Once you mix it into a crumbly sand like texture, cover and do not touch for 48 hours.
- If you are doubling the recipe add the yeast in batches.
- The cookie should sit uncovered for one hour in the summer and two hours in the winter to proof.
- Make sure to preheat the oven for at least 20 minutes before baking.
- After baking do not remove the kaak from the baking tray until it cools down so they don’t break.
Date Ma'amoul
This recipe has been taught to me by my mother. Many families make it with Ghee, but my family has always made it with butter.
Ingredients
Part 1
- 500 grams’ coarse semolina
- 500 grams’ fine semolina
- 500 grams unsalted butter melted
- 1 TSP Mahlab
- 1/2 TSP Salt
Part 2
- 1 Can Evaporated Milk unsweetened condensed milk, we use Nestle carnation
- 1 TBSP Sugar
- 1 TBSP Orange Blossom Water
- 1 1/2 TSP Yeast
Date Puree
- 1 KG Date Puree
- 20 grams butter
- 1/2 TSP Cardamom
- 1/2 TSP Cloves
- 1/2 TSP Nutmeg
- 1 TSP Cinnamon
Instructions
- In a sauce pan melt the butter with a pinch of salt, and set aside to cool down slightly.
- Mix both types of semolina and create a well. Add the Mahlab.
- Mix the semolina with the butter and Knead the dough until it comes together nicely into a sand like texture.
- Keep the dough loose and do not press down. Cover and allow to rest for 48 hours.
- After 48 hours have passed, add yeast and sugar to the crumbly semolina mixture.
- Knead gently between palms to ensure they don't have any lumps.
- Bring a can of evaporated milk to warm slightly while whisking a tablespoon of orange blossom water.
- Slowly and gradually add the evaporated milk mixture and knead until the dough is soft to handle. You need to rub the semolina mixture between your fingers to knead the dough.
- Stop adding the milk once the dough holds and is no longer soggy.
- Shape into balls, flatten into discs, and fill in with your favorite filling (traditionally it's date puree instructions below), and seal. Some people prefer to use a mold for this step too.
- Allow them to rest for one hour uncovered before baking
- Bake in preheated oven at 170. Make sure you preheat the oven for at least 20 minutes before baking.
- Bake until the bottoms are slightly browned but do not brown the tops.
- Keep the kaak on your baking tray until its totally cooled down before removing.
For Date Puree
- Add room temp butter and spices and knead until it's soft. Form into equally sized balls and then use inside the cookies.
Video
Notes
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