Ma’amoul are little pastries that make a dessert tray feel special, with delicate patterns on the outside and a sweet filling tucked inside. This semolina dough has a tender, crumbly bite that pairs beautifully with smooth dates or chopped walnuts. Taking time to fill and press each cookie is part of the pleasure of making them. Once cooled, a light dusting of powdered sugar settles into the designs, ready for arranging on a plate and sharing.

Recipe

Ma’amoul Cookies

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This semolina dough has a tender, crumbly bite that pairs beautifully with smooth dates or chopped walnuts. Taking time to fill and press each cookie is part of the pleasure of making them.

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Ingredients

Dough

4 cups semolina
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon yeast
1 1/3 cups warm ghee
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Date Filling

1 pound soft pitted dates, processed into a paste, or prepared baking dates
2 tablespoons ghee or butter

Walnut Filling

1 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water

For Finishing

Powdered sugar, for dusting
Choose either filling, or prepare both for an assortment. Any extra filling can be saved separately.

Instructions

Mix the semolina and ghee.
In a large bowl, combine the semolina, sugar, and yeast.
Add the warm—not hot—ghee. Mix thoroughly, gently rubbing the mixture between your fingers until the semolina is evenly coated.
Let rest.
Cover and let rest for at least 1 hour so the semolina can absorb the ghee.
Prepare the fillings.
For the date filling, mix the date paste with the ghee or butter until smooth. Roll into small balls to make filling easier.
For the walnut filling, pulse the walnuts, butter or ghee, sugar, and water in a food processor until finely chopped and combined. Avoid processing into a smooth paste.
Finish the dough.
Add the evaporated milk to the rested semolina mixture. Gently mix until a soft, moldable dough forms. It should hold together when pressed without feeling wet or sticky.
Cover and let stand for 10–15 minutes before shaping.
Fill the cookies.
Take a small portion of dough and roll into a ball. Press a hollow into the center with your thumb, keeping the walls an even thickness.
Add a small amount of date or walnut filling. Bring the dough around the filling, pinch closed, and gently reshape into a ball.
Mold or decorate.
Press each filled ball into a ma’amoul mold, then gently tap it out. Alternatively, shape by hand and decorate with a fork or ma’amoul decorating tool.
Arrange on parchment-lined baking trays, leaving a little space between the cookies.
Bake.
Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops are set and still mostly pale.
Cool and finish.
Let the cookies cool on the tray until firm enough to move, then transfer carefully to a wire rack.
Once completely cool, dust lightly with powdered sugar.

Connie’s notes

Keep the ghee warm, not hot. Hot ghee can damage the yeast.
Give the semolina time to absorb the fat. The resting period helps soften the grains and makes shaping easier.
Mix gently after adding milk. Work just until the dough holds together rather than kneading it like bread.
Adjust gradually if needed. If the dough cracks badly when shaped, add evaporated milk a teaspoon at a time, then let it rest briefly.
Keep unused dough covered. This prevents it from drying while you fill and mold.
Avoid overfilling. Leave enough dough to enclose the filling completely without stretching it thin.
Use different shapes for each filling. This makes date and walnut cookies easy to identify.
Keep the cookies pale. Deep browning can leave them dry.
Cool before dusting. Powdered sugar melts into warm cookies.
Store airtight. Keep completely cooled cookies in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week, or freeze for longer storage.