Maamoul

also called maamoul · ma'amoul · mamoul · mamool · maamul · kaak · date maamoul · semolina cookies · date-filled cookies · Eid cookies

The table

1 cup(225 g; melted and cooled)unsalted butterrub the butter through the semolinarest overnight, 12 hrknead in the milk and blossom watermould, fill and sealbake at 350°F 18 min, barely coloured
2 cups(340 g)fine semolina
1 cup(170 g)coarse semolina
2 Tbs(25 g)granulated sugar
1/3 cup(80 mL)whole milk
2 Tbs(30 mL)orange blossom water
1 Tbs(15 mL)rose water
1/2 tspinstant yeast
1/2 tsp(ground)mahlab
2 cups(340 g; soft Medjool)pitted dateswork the date paste smooth
2 Tbs(30 g)unsalted butter
1/2 tspground cinnamon
1/4 tspground nutmeg
2 Tbspowdered sugar
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.17 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1rub the butter through the semolina

3work the date paste smooth

4knead in the milk and blossom water

goes in with what step 2 made

6bake at 350°F 18 min, barely coloured

goes in with what step 5 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 12 hr 20 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
2 minof the steps that give a time

3 of the 6 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 14 hr.

  1. rub the butter through the semolina

    not timedfrom the start

  2. work the date paste smooth

    not timedfrom the start

  3. rest overnight, 12 hr

    12 hrwalk awayfrom the start

  4. knead in the milk and blossom water

    2 minneeds you12 hr in

  5. mould, fill and seal

    not timed12 hr 2 min in

  6. bake at 350°F 18 min, barely coloured

    18 minwalk away12 hr 2 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need food processor · maamoul mould · oven

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Maamoul
>> category: Cookies
>> tags: semolina, dates, middle eastern, oven, moulded, eid
>> counters: Shawarma Counter
>> aka: maamoul, ma'amoul, mamoul, mamool, maamul, kaak, date maamoul, semolina cookies, date-filled cookies, Eid cookies
>> pairs-with: attar, baklava
>> servings: 24
>> time: 14 hr
>> step.1: rub the butter through the semolina
>> step.2: rest overnight, 12 hr
>> step.3: knead in the milk and blossom water
>> step.4: work the date paste smooth
>> step.5: mould, fill and seal
>> step.6: bake at 350°F 18 min, barely coloured

Rub @unsalted butter{1%cup}(225 g; melted and cooled) through @fine semolina{2%cups}(340 g), @coarse semolina{1%cup}(170 g) and @granulated sugar{2%Tbs}(25 g) with your hands until every grain is greased and the mass holds a squeeze.

Cover @&(~1)buttered semolina{} and ~rest{12%hr} at room temperature. This is the step that decides whether the cookie is sandy or tender: semolina is hard wheat and it takes all night to drink the butter. There is no hot-water shortcut for it, and every maamoul that comes out gritty skipped this.

Knead @whole milk{1/3%cup}(80 mL), @orange blossom water{2%Tbs}(30 mL), @rose water{1%Tbs}(15 mL), @instant yeast{1/2%tsp} and @mahlab{1/2%tsp}(ground) into @&(~1)rested semolina{} ~knead{2%min} only, until it just comes together and holds a shape. Any longer and it toughens; this dough is barely a dough.

Work @pitted dates{2%cups}(340 g; soft Medjool) with @unsalted butter{2%Tbs}(30 g), @ground cinnamon{1/2%tsp} and @ground nutmeg{1/4%tsp} in a #food processor{} to a smooth, pliable paste, then roll it into marble-sized balls.

Take a walnut of @&(~2)maamoul dough{}, hollow it around your thumb, seat a ball of @&(~1)date paste{} inside, close the dough over it, and press it into a wooden #maamoul mould{}, then rap the mould sharply on the edge of the table to turn it out. Seal it completely — an open seam bakes into a split.

Bake @&(~1)moulded cookies{} on a lined sheet in the #oven{} at 350°F (175°C) ~bake{18%min}, until the bases are set and the tops are still **pale**. A browned maamoul is an overbaked one; they should come out the colour they went in, and dusting with @powdered sugar{2%Tbs} once cold is the tradition and also good cover.