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4.8 from 18 votes

Maamoul

Maamoul are typical Lebanese shortbreads, usually stuffed with dates, but which can also be filled with pistachios, almonds or walnuts.

Prep Time
1 hr 30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 45 mins
Servings: 45 maamoul
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Middle Eastern , Lebanese

Ingredients

For the dough
  • 3¼ cups extra-fine durum wheat flour (or semolina)
  • 2¼ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup softened butter
  • ¾ cup icing sugar + some for dusting
  • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ¼ cup orange blossom water , rose water or a mixture of both
For the filling
  • 8 oz. date paste
  • 3 tablespoons coarsely crushed toasted walnuts
  • 5 tablespoons coarsely crushed toasted pistachios
  • 3 tablespoons coarsely crushed toasted almonds
Equipment
  • Maamoud mold

Instructions

Filling
    Cup of Yum
  1. Mix all ingredients together or separate all the dried fruits and mix each of them with date paste.
Dough
  1. In a large container, place the extra fine semolina, the flour, icing sugar, softened butter, baking powder. Mix well until reaching a dough that feels like sand.
  2. Add the milk and then the required amount of orange blossom water and/or rose water. Form a ball of dough. It should be smooth, not sticky.
  3. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let stand for 1 hour at room temperature.
  4. Form balls of about ½ oz (15 g).
  5. Stuff each ball of dough with the date and nuts. Roll the ball so the filling is fully coated with dough.
  6. Shape the balls using a maamoul mold. Put the dough inside the maamoul mold and pack well, turn the mold over and give a quick tap to unmold.
  7. Place the maamoul on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cook in a preheated oven at 350 F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes. Pastries must remain very white.
  8. As you take them out of the oven, sprinkle with icing sugar.
  9. Maamoul can be kept for eight days in an airtight container.