Lebanese Maamoul with Date Filling
Buttery semolina cookies stuffed with dates and baked until golden—a traditional Lebanese treat that looks impressive but requires no special skills. Perfect for tea time or gifting.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 12
- Calories
- 185
- Protein
- 2g
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups fine semolina flour
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup pitted dates, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons water
- 12 pieces whole cloves (optional, for decoration)
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 350°F and wait until the indicator light or beep signals it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Pour the 1.5 cups semolina flour into a large bowl, then add the 0.75 cup softened butter and 0.25 teaspoon salt.
- 3
Use your fingertips to rub the butter and semolina together until the mixture looks like damp sand with no visible butter lumps, about 2 minutes.
- 4
Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons water over the mixture while stirring gently with a wooden spoon until the dough just holds together when squeezed.
- 5
Place the 1 cup chopped dates into a small bowl and stir gently to break up any clumps; set aside for filling.
- 6
Pinch off a piece of dough roughly the size of a walnut (about 1 tablespoon), roll it gently between your palms into a ball.
- 7
Push your thumb into the center of the ball to create a small hollow, rotating the ball in your hand as you press, forming a cup shape.
- 8
Spoon a small pinch of chopped dates into the hollow, filling it halfway; then pinch the dough edges back together and gently reshape into a ball.
- 9
Place the filled ball on a parchment-lined baking sheet; repeat steps 6–8 with the remaining dough and dates to make 12 cookies total.
- 10
If using cloves, press one clove gently into the top center of each cookie for decoration.
- 11
Slide the baking sheet into the preheated 350°F oven and bake until the cookies are firm to the touch and very pale golden, about 18–20 minutes.
- 12
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tools you’ll need
- large mixing bowl
- wooden spoon
- small bowl
- parchment-lined baking sheet
- wire cooling rack
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