Maa’moul Cookies
An ancient cookie that originated in Egypt, this treat is indigenous to the Middle East and prepared for Easter and Eids. A soft buttery cookie with surprise fillings of dates or nuts, they are a delicious bite for present day feasters as well!
Maa’moul Cookies – Middle Eastern Cookies
For the cookie dough:
2 cups semolina flour
1 cup all purpose flour
½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
dash of salt.
1 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon milk
¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
3 tablespoons simple syrup
1/4 - 1/3 cup warm milk.
Date filling:
1 cup dates pitted dates
1 teaspoon butter
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds.
Pistachio filling:
1 ¼ cup shelled pistachios.
1 tablespoon powdered sugar.
2 tablespoons simple syrup
1 teaspoon butter
Walnut filling:
▢1 ½ cup walnuts
▢1 tablespoon powdered sugar
▢1 teaspoon cinnamon.
▢2 tablespoons simple syrup
▢1 teaspoon butter
To make cookie dough:
-Melt butter in microwave or in a small pot on the stovetop, just until melted. In a medium bowl, place semolina, flour, cinnamon, salt and mix. Pour in the melted butter and mix well. Use the palms of your hands and rub the semolina mixture for a couple of minutes. Cover and refrigerate several hours or up to 3 days.
-Take the dough out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature to soften slightly. Add tablespoon of milk, yeast and mix well. Mix in the syrup then add the milk little by little until the dough is soft and rolls nicely into a ball. Cover and let dough rest for 1 hour. Divide the dough into 24 balls. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To make the filling and assemble:
(You can make your cookies with just one filling or with all three. Each recipe of filling is enough to make all 20 cookies in the recipe, so adjust your filling recipes accordingly.)
-In a food processor, combine the ingredients of each filling and process to desired texture until the mixture becomes almost like a paste. Divide the filling of your choice into 24 portions or balls and set aside.
-With lightly floured hands, create balls from your cookie dough, 20 - 24 balls. Take one at a time and with your thumb create an indention in the dough deep enough to hold about a teaspoon of the filling. Close the dough over the filling completely and shape again into a ball. If using a maa’,oul press, lightly flour the press and press the ball firmly into the center of the mold. Invert onto a lightly greased cookie sheet and tap until the cookie comes out of the mold.
-If not using a mold, roll the cookie into a ball and flatten a bit then on cookie sheet. Place the sheet in to the preheated oven and bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden. Cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. Makes 20 - 24 cookies.
Delicious, tender and buttery with a date or nut surprise in the centers.
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
**Maa’moul cookies are served for holidays and celebrations of all kinds, especially by Christians and Easter.
**You can use any type of pressed cookie mold or free form them into balls and decorate the tops with fork tines or cookie presses. Dust lightly with powdered sugar so that the design can still be seen.
**Store cookies in an airtight container so they stay soft. They can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week or well-wrapped and frozen for a couple of months. Thaw completely to room temperature before serving.
