Ramadan maamoul cookies are traditional crumbly cookies made from semolina and butter, filled with three types of fillings: date, pistachio, or walnut. Each type of cookie has a unique shape.
These cookies, while known and popular throughout the Arab world, are most famously associated with Lebanon and Syria. They are commonly prepared during Ramadan, especially for the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting period. The cookies are made using a traditional wooden mold called taabeh, which gives them their intricate designs. However, the mold is not essential—you can easily shape maamoul by hand into balls.
The addition of orange blossom and rose water, along with the spice mahlab (ground cherry pits), imparts a delightful floral aroma to the maamoul cookies.
1 block of butter (250 g)
3 cups of semolina (fine durum wheat)
1½ tablespoons of sugar
1 cup of all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
⅓ cup of rose water (Jasmeen)
2 tablespoons of orange blossom water (Jasmeen)
2 teaspoons of mahlab (ground cherry pit)
Powdered sugar for dusting
1 cup of dates
A pinch of cinnamon or cardamom
Date Filling: Soak the dates in hot water for 15 minutes. Then drain the water, add cinnamon, and blend until smooth.
Dough: Melt the butter, then mix it with the semolina, sugar, and mahlab spice. Let the mixture rest for 3 hours or longer. Next, add the floral waters and all-purpose flour to the mixture. Knead the dough. If it’s too firm, add a little plain water. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Prepare a bowl with all-purpose flour. Take a small amount of dough in your hand and create a well for the filling. Place a teaspoon of filling inside, close the dough, flatten it, and coat it in the flour. Then press it into a maamoul mold and arrange them on a baking sheet. Repeat this process until you run out of dough and filling. Bake for 20-25 minutes until they become lightly golden. Allow to cool and generously dust with powdered sugar.
Enjoy!
Rose water is a very popular flavor enhancer in the Middle East. It has a pleasant, floral, and honey-like aroma that gives drinks, sweets, and desserts an oriental character. Products enriched with rose water gain a touch of sweetness and a pleasant rose fragrance reminiscent of summer.
It is also frequently used in skincare – it is a natural cosmetic appreciated for its regenerating and strengthening properties. It soothes irritations, constricts blood vessels, and supports the fight against acne thanks to its antibacterial effects. It is an ingredient in toners, creams, face masks, and lotions. It can also be used as a hair rinse to restore shine and smoothness.
Rose water has regenerating, strengthening and ageing-delaying properties, and also has antibacterial properties.
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