Mamoul (Middle Eastern Date-Filled Cookies)
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Mamoul (Middle Eastern Date-Filled Cookies)
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These delicious Middle Eastern cookies are made with semolina and filled with date paste, though they can also be found with walnut or pistachio fillings.
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Ingredients
For the Dough:
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ tsp instant yeast
- ½ tbsp mahlep ground
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup clarified butter melted
- 1 cup semolina
For the Filling:
- 8 oz dates pitted
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
For the Dough:
- In a bowl, combine the milk and melted clarified butter, ensuring they are warm.
- In a large bowl, thoroughly mix all the dry ingredients for the dough. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry ingredients.
- Using a spatula or wooden spoon, mix from the edges towards the center until fully corporated.
- Cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
For the Filling:
- Microwave the pitted dates for about 1-1.5 minutes at 800W.
- Blend the softened dates and olive oil in the food processor until they form a smooth paste.
- Lightly coat your hands with the remaining oil and roll the date paste into hazelnut-sized balls. Set aside.
For the Assembly:
- Once the dough is ready, take walnut-sized pieces and roll them into balls.
- Flatten the dough with your finger and place a date ball inside the dough. Close the dough around the date filling and roll it again into a ball.
- Press the filled dough balls into a mamoul mold to shape them, then tap them out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Allow the shaped cookies to rest at room temperature until their surfaces are completely dry at least 1 hour.
- Bake the cookies for about 15-18 minutes in the preheated oven at 410°F / 210°C until they are golden brown.
- Remove the mamoul from the oven and let them cool for 15 minutes, as they will be fragile when hot.
- Once cooled, dust the mamoul with powdered sugar and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Achieving the right texture for the dough is crucial. Letting it rest for at least 2 hours allows the ingredients to fully hydrate, resulting in a smoother and more cohesive dough.
- When mixing the dough, ensure the milk and melted clarified butter are warm but not hot, as excessive heat can affect the yeast's effectiveness and the dough's consistency.
- For the date filling, microwaving the dates briefly softens them, making them easier to blend into a smooth paste. Adding olive oil helps achieve a spreadable consistency.
- Coating your hands with oil before handling the date paste prevents sticking and makes shaping the filling balls easier and less messy.
- When assembling the mamoul cookies, ensure the date filling is completely enclosed within the dough to prevent leakage during baking.
- Allowing the shaped cookies to air dry for at least 1 hour before baking helps them maintain their shape and prevents spreading during baking.
- Bake the mamoul at the specified temperature (410°F / 210°C) until they turn golden brown. Be cautious not to overbake them, as this can dry out the cookies.
- After baking, let the mamoul cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before handling, as they are delicate when hot and can break easily.
- Dusting the cooled mamoul with powdered sugar adds a final touch of sweetness and enhances their appearance before serving.
- Enjoy your freshly baked Mamoul cookies as a delightful treat with tea or coffee, or as a dessert after meals.
- You can fill mamoul with nut pastes such as pistachios, walnuts, or almonds instead of dates.
- Mahlep is a spice made from the seeds of a specific type of cherry, giving the cookies a distinct flavor. It is commonly used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean baking. If you can't find mahlep, you can substitute it with a ½ teaspoon mix of ground anise and ground fennel seeds for a similar flavor.
- While a traditional mamoul mold helps achieve the characteristic shape and design, you can shape and decorate the cookies by hand if you don’t have one.
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