Ma’amoul (Date & Pistachio Cookies)

My favourite combination for this special Eid cookie is using half flour and half semolina - it results in the best melt in your mouth cookie! We only make this special treat on our 2 Eid’s and it’s aroma that fills the house screams nostalgia for me. A labour of love but so worth it!

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Add the semolina, flour, vegetable ghee, powdered sugar, and salt in a large container with a lid and knead it through with your hand until everything is soaked well. Cover it and store at room temperature overnight.

Step 2

Come in at least once during the 24 hours and knead/massage the dough. Crumbling it up to further knead the fat through.

Step 3

Next day, add the rest of the ingredients, and knead it until well combined. Since this is a yeasted dough, cover it, and let it rest while you work on the date paste and pistachio filling.

Step 4

Make date balls, about a tbsp in size. For the pistachio, in a small food processor grind the whole pistachio with prepared simple syrup (check out my reels for how to make this) and rose water until it comes together to create a ball.

Step 5

To assemble ball up about tbsp and a half of dough, flatten it out in to a “patty” and wrap the dough around the date ball, making sure to not have any exposed dates.

Step 6

Use your desired Ma’amoul molds to shape, place them on a sheet pan with parchment. For the dates it is usually a circle shape, for the pistachios it is usually an elongated shape to distinguish the fillings.

Step 7

Bake at 350 F for about 13 mins until golden on the bottom. Optional to broil for more colour, but to keep them super tender I don’t.

Step 8

While a tad bit warm (so it sticks), dust powdered sugar on the pistachio ma’amoul.

Step 9

Let them cool completely before storing. Store at room temp for 3-4 days. Makes about 80 cookies.