Maamoul are buttery date filled middle eastern cookies that will melt in your mouth and are utterly scrumptious. Naturally sweetened with dates these have minimal added sugar. They are popular at Eid, Christmas and other holidays.
As good as my other holiday cookies -Baklava, Persian Chickpea Cookies and Vanillekipferl (Crescent Cookies).
What Are Maamoul Cookies?
Maamoul cookies are the famous middle eastern shortbread pastries filled with dates or nuts. They are traditional at religious holidays in the Levantine region. And are made by hand or using special wooden molds to create different shapes - round like a ball, crescent form, shaped as a dome or flattened as a disc.
If you are looking for a Maamoul recipe with flour, without yeast, without semolina, and with dates, then this is the one for you. And with this recipe you can learn how to make them handmade or using a cookie mold.
By the way, I came across an interesting story that these maamoul cookies may actually have an ancestry in the Egyptian cookie - Kahk, that is shaped like a pyramid and dates back to the Pharaonic era. So much for the lofty beginnings!
How to Make It
Here I present to you step by step how to make the famous maamoul cookies.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Preparation of the dough
- Melt the butter or ghee. Add oil and then stir in the sugar.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ghee/sugar mixture with flour, working them together with your fingers. Add as much flour as the butter/oil mixture will absorb and that usually varies from 2 ¼ to 2 ½ cups.
- Then add the rose water and mix it in. Next add the milk, one tablespoon at a time. Then knead it all into a pliable dough.
- When you add the milk, sometimes it might look like there is too much milk and the dough is sticky. But when you keep mixing it in, the milk gets absorbed.
- Let the dough rest for a half-hour. Then roll out 32 portions of the dough into smooth balls. I find this easier because all my cookies more or less turn out the same size.
Preparation of the date filling
- Process the chopped medjool dates in a food processor into a smooth mass. If not using soft medjool dates, check the tips or notes section.
- Divide the date mass into 32 portions and roll them into smooth balls. Use oil or safe food prep gloves if needed, as the date mass can be sticky.
Shaping of the date filled cookies
- Take a dough ball and flatten it. Hold it in the center of your palm and cup it. Place a date ball in the center. Bring the edges of the dough together. Pinch the dough to seal well and then smoothen it out. Press it into a disc. Tip: Make sure to not use too much filling, or the cookies will crack.
- Use a nut pick or fork to create interesting patterns. Or press the date filled cookie dough into a traditional maamoul mold and gently press to get the pattern on the cookie. Invert and tap the front edge of the mold onto a hard surface like a kitchen counter, and hold your palm under the mold to get the cookie that is released from the mold.
Using a traditional Maamoul mold
- Alternatively, a maamoul mold may be used to shape the cookies. In this case, a portion of the dough is first pressed into the mold. Then the date filling is layered on top of the dough.
- Next, another portion of the dough is layered over the date filling and flattened out.
- Tap the front edge of the mold on a hard surface like a kitchen counter, and hold your palm under the mold to get the cookie that is released from the mold.
- Sometimes I find that this method may not work out too well for all. As it may be difficult to release the cookie dough out of the mold. Sprinkling a little bit of flour into the mold prior to using it may help release the cookie better. Or laying a piece of plastic wrap into the mold prior to packing it with the cookie dough and the filling may help too.
- But my preferred method is to make the cookie by hand and then pressing it gently into the mold to create the pattern. It is not traditional to use the mold this way, but it works better and speeds up the process.
Baking the Maamoul cookies
- Place the Maamoul cookies, smooth side up (for hand shaped cookies) or the patterned side up (for cookies made using mold), on a large baking sheet.
- Make sure to space them one to two inches apart. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not let the cookies over bake or turn too brown.
- Well baked cookies will appear dry on the surface unlike the moist look of raw dough. Also, they will have a light tan.
- Cool the well-baked Maamoul completely on a wire rack. Using a sieve, dust some confectioner's sugar or a combination of the sugar with some almond meal. Store the Maamoul cookies in an airtight container.
Tips And Tricks
The steps and the tips in this recipe are written with the idea of making the maamoul cookie recipe accessible to the non-traditional consumer and baker. I learned to make them as someone outside the Levantine culture. So I hope that these tips are helpful to you as well.
- Fresh Dates:
- If using dates that are not very soft, then place the chopped dates and add some water in a saucepan (start with 2 tablespoons water and add as needed). Dry dates may require more water.
- Heat it at medium high and when the water bubbles, lower the heat and simmer. The dates should cooked down to a smooth and solid mass. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
- Ready Made Date Paste:
- You can use one packet of pressed dates (no more than 13 oz) available online or middle-eastern stores. Do make sure to look for any pits. I have always found a small fragment of a pit in the ready made date paste. And it can be dangerous if left in the filling.
- The date paste can be a bit sticky to work with. Application of some oil to the palms or using safe food prep gloves may help while shaping the date paste.
- Ghee or Butter:
- Traditionally butter or ghee is used for these cookies.
- I prefer using ghee for making these mamoul as it imparts a nice nutty flavor. Ghee is quite easy to make from butter - check it out in the recipe notes for these Nan-e Nokhodchi cookies.
- Healthier Substitution:
- For those who would like to make a lighter version of this cookie, some oil substitution works great with no impact on taste. You may use any odorless healthy oil for the recipe.
- I actually substituted half the flour with whole wheat pasty flour and it tasted great. There was absolutely no difference from the all purpose flour. But if you do not have whole wheat pastry flour, you can just use all purpose flour, as cookies are not typically consumed in large numbers.
Health Benefits - Date Filled Cookies
I love using dates to create sweets and desserts. They are sumptuous and satisfying. For someone with a serious sweet tooth :) just one cookie does it for me!
Dates are high in fiber, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6 and a good source of niacin, calcium, phosphorus, iron; in addition to other vitamins and minerals. Therefore they are a much better alternative to refined sugar. Studies have shown that the high fiber containing dates may help with lowering of cholesterol and triglycerides.
The mineral content of the dates make them beneficial for bone health. Dates are rich in polyphenols that have been found to have anti-atherogenic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The fiber in dates helps with staying regular and relieving constipation.
However, dates are a rich source of carbohydrates and energy. When consumed in balanced amounts they are a great alternative to refined sugar. And work well for healthier desserts, such as - my Luscious date avocado chocolate truffles and Sahlab (orange blossom cinnamon drink).
My Maamoul Story
When I was newly married I saw boxes of store bought maamoul at my husband's place and so I decided to learn to make them. I collected recipes from many sources and experimented several times until I found what I liked best. And trust me - the homemade ones are absolutely mouth watering!
I personally do not prefer the semolina based maamoul dough and like the cookies flavored just with rose water. No cinnamon. No orange flower water. Although, the later two flavors are popularly used in the Levantine region. But, for these date filled cookies, I just like to enjoy the natural unflavored taste of dates wrapped in a rose scented buttery dough.
Common Questions
Maamoul are naturally sweetened with dates, so are healthier than cookies that have a lot of refined sugar. But it is still a rich cookie dough made with butter, so enjoy these in moderation.
I think that it is fun to make maamoul cookies by hand, but if you prefer, you can use maamoul cookie molds to create beautiful shapes and impressions.
You can purchase maamoul cookie molds at middle eastern grocery stores and online on Amazon and other sites.
Do make sure to store the cookies in an airtight container and they will stay fresh for a long time. But perhaps they will disappear sooner than that :) !
Yes you can wrap them well and pack in freezer safe containers or bags and freeze. Thaw them and lightly warm in oven for fresh tasting cookies.
More Belicious Baked Goodies:
- Date Bar Cookies with Nuts
- Anise Almond Biscotti
- Moist Maple Sweet Potato Cake with Walnut Butter
- German Apple Cake
- Tahini Orange Chocolate Marble Cake
- German Blueberry Bread
★ DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE COMMENT AND GIVE IT A STAR RATING BELOW!
Zaalouk (Moroccan Eggplant Dip)
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs eggplants globe variety, medium size
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lb tomatoes vine ripe
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or ⅛ tsp chili powder
- Salt to taste
- 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice adjust per taste
Optional
- Cilantro
- Red Pepper Flakes
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Prick the eggplants with a fork in couple spots and place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the skin turns darker and shrinks. Check foot notes for grilling, broiling or stove top options.
- The eggplants should be cooked through completely in the center. To check, press the back of a fork on the eggplant. It should compress easily all the way into the center without any resistance.
- Cut through the eggplant skin and scoop out the soft cooked flesh and mash it with a fork and set aside.
- Chop the tomatoes into small pieces, discarding some seeds if you wish. See note below for peeled and deseeded tomatoes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan at medium setting. Add the chopped tomatoes, minced garlic, paprika, cumin, cayenne or chili powder, ⅓ teaspoon salt and cook until tomatoes are softened, stirring in between, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add the mashed eggplants and cilantro. Continue to cook over low heat for another 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, mashing it if needed, into a thick but slightly textured dip like consistency.
- Stir in lemon juice and salt. Adjust as per taste, let it cool and transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate it overnight before serving.
- Take the zaalouk from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving and let it come to room temperature. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Garnish with cilantro and red pepper flakes if you prefer.
- Chunky Zaalouk: To make a chunkier but less traditional zaalouk, insert garlic cloves into eggplant and roast it in the oven at 400˚F, along with the tomatoes. Chop the eggplants and tomatoes. Add the spices, herbs, half the olive oil, salt and mash it up to desired consistency. Drizzle olive oil and serve.
Notes
- Cooking Eggplants:
- Grill: Roast eggplants on charcoal or gas grill for 20 to 30 minutes, turning them slowly in between, until skin turns darker and shrinks.
- Broil: Cut eggplants lengthwise into halves and place the cut side down on a foil lined baking sheet. Place on the second rack and broil until skin turns darker and shrinks, about 20 minutes.
- Stovetop: Peel the eggplants completely, only some stripes or leave the skin on if you don’t mind it. Cut the eggplants into small pieces. Steam on high heat until soft or cook in a pan with some water until soft and mushy.
- Easy Zaalouk: Combine all ingredients with ⅓ cup of water and cook it over stove top until softened. Mash it up well and drizzle olive oil.
- Peeled and deseeded tomatoes: If you prefer, you can blanch the tomatoes. Cut a small cross on the surface of tomatoes and dump them in hot boiling water. After a minute, pick out the tomatoes and peel the skin, cut them into halves and deseed. Chop them into small pieces.
- Use more tomatoes if you want the dip to be saucy. You may even try using a little bit of tomato paste to give it thickness.
- Leftovers: Can be refrigerated for 4 to 5 days. You can freeze zaalouk for couple months. Thaw and reheat. Adjust the consistency, evaporating or adding water as needed. Check the seasoning as well.
- Nutrition facts not including any added salt.
- For other variations, tips and serving suggestions, scroll up the page to the blog post.
Nutrition
Maamoul (Date Filled Cookies)
Ingredients
Dough
- ½ cup ghee or butter, grass fed
- ¼ cup light olive oil or butter/ghee
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour (may use half whole wheat pastry flour)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons rose water or orange flower water
- 3 tablespoons milk (start with 2 and add as needed)
Date filling
- ⅔ lb dates medjool, soft, pitted, chopped (or ready made date paste)
Dusting (optional)
Equipment
- Maamoul Mold (Optional)
- Safe Food Prep Gloves (Optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Preparation of the dough
- Melt the butter or ghee. Add oil and then mix in the sugar.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ghee/sugar mixture with flour, working them together with your fingers.
Tip: Use odorless oil or only butter or ghee. Add as much flour as the butter/oil mixture will absorb and that usually varies from 2 ¼ to 2 ½ cups - Then add the rose water and mix it in. Next add the milk, one tablespoon at a time. Then knead it all into a pliable dough.
- When you add the milk, sometimes it might look like there is too much milk and the dough is sticky. But when you keep mixing it in, the milk gets absorbed.
- Let the dough rest for a 30 minutes. Then roll out 32 portions of the dough into smooth balls. I find this easier because all my cookies more or less turn out the same size.
Preparation of the date filling
- Process the chopped medjool dates in a food processor into a smooth mass. If not using soft medjool dates, check the notes section.
- Divide the date mass into 32 portions and roll them into smooth balls. Use oil or safe food prep gloves if needed, as the date mass can be sticky.
Shaping of the date filled cookies
- Take a dough ball and flatten it. Hold it in the center of your palm and cup it. Place a date ball in the center. Bring the edges of the dough together. Pinch the dough to seal well and then flatten it out. Press it into a disc.
Tip: Make sure to not use too much filling, or the cookies will crack. - Use a nut pick or fork to create interesting patterns. Or press the date filled cookie dough into a traditional maamoul mold and gently press to get the pattern on the cookie.
- Invert and tap the front edge of the mold onto a hard surface like a kitchen counter, and hold your palm under the mold to get the cookie that is released from the mold.
Using a traditional Maamoul mold
- Alternatively, a maamoul mold may be used to shape the cookies. In this case, a portion of the dough is first pressed into the mold. Then the date filling is layered on top of the dough.
- Next, another portion of the dough is layered over the date filling and smoothened out.
- Tap the front edge of the mold on a hard surface like a kitchen counter, and hold your palm under the mold to get the cookie that is released from the mold.
- Sometimes I find that this method may not work out too well for all. As it may be difficult to release the cookie dough out of the mold. Sprinkling a little bit of flour into the mold prior to using it may help release the cookie better. Or laying a piece of plastic wrap into the mold prior to packing it with the cookie dough and the filling may help too.
- But my preferred method is to make the cookie by hand and then pressing it gently into the mold to create the pattern. It is not traditional to use the mold this way, but it works better and speeds up the process.
Baking the Maamoul cookies
- Place the Maamoul cookies, smooth side up (for hand shaped cookies) or the patterned side (for cookies made with the mold), on a large baking sheet.
- Make sure to space them one to two inches apart. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Do not let the cookies over bake or turn too brown.
- Well baked cookies will appear dry on the surface unlike the moist look of raw dough. Also, they will have a light tan.
- Cool the well-baked Maamoul completely on a wire rack. Using a sieve dust some confectioner's sugar or a combination of the sugar with some almond meal. Store the Maamoul cookies in an airtight container.
Notes
- Fresh Dates:
- If using dates that are not very soft, then place the chopped dates and add some water in a saucepan (start with 2 tablespoons water and add as needed). Dry dates may require more water.
- Heat it at medium high and when the water bubbles, lower the heat and simmer. The dates should cooked down to a smooth and solid mass. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
- Ready Made Date Paste:
- You can use one packet of pressed dates (no more than 13 oz) available online or middle-eastern stores. Do make sure to look for any pits. I have always found a small fragment of a pit in the ready made date paste. And it can be dangerous if left in the filling.
- The date paste can be a bit sticky to work with. Application of some oil to the palms or using safe food prep gloves may help while shaping the date paste.
- Ghee or Butter:
- Traditionally butter or ghee is used for these cookies.
- I prefer using ghee for making these mamoul as it imparts a nice nutty flavor. Ghee is quite easy to make from butter - check it out in the recipe notes for these Nan-e Nokhodchi cookies.
- Healthier Substitution:
- Some oil substitution works great with no impact on taste. You may use any odorless healthy oil for the recipe.
- You can substitute half the flour with whole wheat pasty flour with absolutely no difference in taste.
Nutrition
This post was first published on July 25th 2017 and has been updated with improvements in recipe formatting, tips, and additional enhancements.
Maya Sapir
Hi Roxanna,
Thank you for this amazing looking recipe, I have committed to make these cookies for this Saturday coming supper club Moroccan theme, because I've made them years ago and loved them so much. I lost the recipe but yours look perfect! One of our members is vegan. I was wandering if you've tried using coconut oil?
Roxana Begum
Thanks for your lovely feedback Maya. I would try it, the flavor may be a bit different. Let me know how you like it.
wondering
me and my family 😍this recipe. it trued out awesome.
(even though i am a terrible cook/baker)
thank you sooooooo much for sharing this amazing recipe, especially during a time like this.
Roxana Begum
So happy to know that you liked it. You are a good baker :)
Carolina
Thank you so much for this great receipt, surprising !! I used whole wheat and flavor is Amazing. Regards,
Roxana Begum
Thanks for sharing :)
wondering
how can i make half of this recipe
Roxana Begum
Just use half the amount of ingredients. If you point your cursor/arrow on the servings number 32, a little window with a sliding bar in the middle will appear. Move it either side and check, it will give you the amount of ingredients you need to use for 16 cookies.
regs
That cookie was really heavenly made, love the filling so much. Can't wait to try it!
Nada
Never ever use olive oil in maamoul recipe! It’s always been ghee or butter or even margarine, but not oil and definitely not olive oil. Doesn’t taste goid with rose water and orange blossom water
Roxana Begum
Please note it is "light" olive oil and not "extra virgin". Light olive oil has no strong flavor. The visitors of my blog often look for lighter modifications. Ghee or butter is the best for taste. But for those who have dietary restrictions and need to cut some total fat and saturated fat, the oil substitution works very well and these cookies are absolutely delicious.
Rebecca Lakh
Hi!
I tried this and unfortunately they spread in the oven almost instantly, didn't keep shape...
Perhaps you may know what I did wrong?
🙂
Roxana Begum
May be used more butter or oil by mistake. Or perhaps more milk than necessary. Did you by chance use any baking powder? In case you may have used incorrect metric measures....
sandra macksoud
Oh, forgot to mention that I added 3/4 cup of pistachios to the date filling.
sandra macksoud
Wonderful recipe. everyone thinks they are delicious. Thank you. I plan to make some with oil only as a low cholesterol option, I know the taste will change but still will be good. I mixed almond flour with the wheat and came out really good.
Roxana Begum
Thanks Sandra. So happy it worked out well. And appreciate you sharing how you made it with almond flour.
Vineeta Agarwal
Hi Roxana! These Maamoul look delicious! I’m making them today but not sure about the oven temperature. How much should be the oven temperature to bake these?
Roxana Begum
Hi Vineeta, sorry, had been traveling. Thanks so much. As in recipe it is “Preheat the oven to 350°F”. Hope you enjoy it!
Nadia Haggerty
Hi I am Lebanese and always watched but never learned to make them until now,can I use dried figs instead of dates,and if so do I need to do anything different? Thank you.
Roxana Begum
Hi Nadia, So glad that you would like to try this recipe. If using dried figs it will depend on how moist they are. For this recipe I used really moist medjool dates and just processed it. I didn't need to cook it. But if the dried figs are too dry then you would need to chop them into small pieces and add just a little bit of water, increase the heat for the water to bubble and then lower the heat, and simmer. Use a ladle to break up the dried figs, once cooled process into a smooth mixture. Start with only a little bit of water and add as needed and it will depend on how dry or moist they are.