Popular in Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and throughout the Middle East, Maamoul are a signature sweet from the region. This recipe from the new cookbook Crumbs, a collection of treats from around the world compiled by food researcher Ben Mims, unpacks their origins and explains how to make them.
Arguably the most well-known Middle Eastern cookie, these filled shortbreads are descended from the Egyptian kahk but are now considered a separate cookie with special shapes to denote three distinct fillings. Only semolina is traditionally used in the dough, though many recipes now add all-purpose (plain) flour to create a softer texture. Mahleb (a spice made of ground cherry kernels) and flower waters give these cookies a distinct, intensely aromatic flavour. According to Anissa Helou’s Feast: Food of the Islamic World, when the cookies are filled with nuts they are called maamoul, while the date-filled cookie goes by the name qrass bil-tamr. When walnuts are used, the cookies are shaped in a round, domed mould, while a pistachio filling gets a domed oval shape. Both nut versions get dusted with icing sugar, whereas the date version is moulded flat and left plain. The cookies are traditional for breaking the fast during Ramadan but are now so widespread that they are eaten year-round. In Iran, kolucheh or koloocheh refers to a version made of spiced dough filled with spiced date paste and nuts – usually walnuts or walnuts combined with pistachios. They are either imprinted with a mould or simply left as mounds and topped with more ground nuts.
MAAMOUL - NUT-FILLED SHORTBREAD COOKIES
Makes ~12 cookies
- Make the nut filling: In a food processor, combine the walnuts or pistachios, the white caster sugar, orange blossom water (if making walnut filling) or rose water (for pistachio), and cinnamon (for walnuts) and pulse until finely ground, 6–8 pulses. Transfer to a bowl and keep covered in plastic wrap (cling film) until ready to use.
- Make the cookies: In a large bowl, combine the semolina, melted butter, and oil and mix with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse sand or couscous. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand overnight (at least 8 hours) to allow the semolina to soften.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour, white caster sugar, salt, yeast, and mahleb. Uncover the bowl and add the flour/sugar mixture to the semolina mixture along with the water, orange blossom water, and rose water. Stir with your hands until a dough forms, kneading to form a smooth dough.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 2 tablespoon ice cream scoop, portion the dough and roll into balls. Flatten each ball in your hand and place 1 heaping teaspoon of walnut or pistachio filling in the centre. Gather the dough around the filling to encase it and then reroll the dough into a smooth ball.
- Lightly press the cookie ball into a maamoul mould to imprint its design, using a 5 cm round domed mould for the walnut-filled balls and a 7.5 × 5 cm oval domed mould for the pistachio-filled balls. (Alternatively, slightly flatten the balls on the baking sheets and imprint a crisscross design on top with the tines of a fork.)
- Arrange the shaped dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spaced 2.5 cm apart. Chill the cookies for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Bake until light golden brown, 12–15 minutes, switching racks and rotating the baking sheets front to back halfway through.
- Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let the cookies rest on the pans for 1 minute. While the cookies are still warm, dust each with icing sugar on top, then let cool completely on the pans.
- Dust with more powdered sugar again before serving.
Crumbs: Cookies and Sweets from Around the World by Ben Mims, $80, published by Phaidon.
More sugary treats
Try to keep these away from the sweet tooths.
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