Maamoul (Dates Filled Lebanese Cookies)

Ingredients:

For the Dough:
2 cups- Semolina
½ cup- All-purpose flour
½ cup- Butter, melted
½ cup- Sugar, powdered
1 tbsp. Rose water
1 tsp. dried yeast, melted in 1 tbsp. of luke warm water
Pinch of Salt

Dates Filling:
2 ½ cups- Fresh soft-pitted dates
¼ cup- Sugar, powdered
1 tsp. Rose water
Maamoul mold to press and shape the cookies

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 350° F.

2. Sift the all-purpose flour and mix it with semolina and butter.

3. Add the yeast water, rose water, sugar and salt. Mix and make a dough by adding little bit of water. Set aside for about 3 hours, covered, to rest.

4. In a food processor, take dates, sugar and rose water. Blend them together into fine paste.

5. After 3 hours of rest, knead and divide the dough into lime sized balls. Flatten each ball using your hand and lift the sides up to form a hollow. It is now ready for the filling.

6. Place 1 tbsp. of dates filling into the hollowed dough. Close the dough over the date’s mixture. Press the edges to seal well.

7. Press it into the maamoul mold to give it a decorated appearance. Reverse the mold, gently shake to loosen it from the mold. Prepare each one in this way and place them neatly in rows, on a greased/parchment paper lined baking tray.

8. Place the tray in a preheated oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes or when they turn lightly golden, remove them from the oven and let them cool.