Maamoul (معمول) — Lebanese Date and Walnut Filled Shortbread Cookies

• 300 gfine semolina
• 180 gall-purpose flour
• 220 gunsalted butter, melted and warm (not hot)
• 40 ggranulated sugar
• 1 tspmahlab (ground cherry pits) (Optional but traditional; adds a floral-almond aroma.)
• 2 gsalt (About 1/3 tsp fine salt.)
• 15 mlorange blossom water
• 5 mlrose water
• 120 mlwhole milk (Warm to about 35–40°C so it blends smoothly.)
• 4 gbaking powder (About 1 tsp.)
• 320 gdate paste (Use plain date paste or pitted soft dates processed into a paste.)
• 20 gunsalted butter, softened
• 1 tspground cinnamon
• 180 gwalnuts, finely chopped
• 50 gpowdered sugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the semolina base by mixing the fine semolina, flour, sugar, salt, and mahlab in a large bowl until evenly combined. Pour in the warm melted butter and rub it through the dry mixture with your fingertips until every grain looks coated and the mixture resembles damp sand.

2. 2

   Rest the buttered semolina mixture for 30 minutes at room temperature so the semolina hydrates and the dough bakes up tender rather than gritty. While it rests, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside a maamoul mold (or plan to shape by hand).

3. 3

   Finish the dough by whisking the baking powder into the warm milk, then stirring in the orange blossom water and rose water. Add the liquid to the bowl and gently bring the dough together with your hands just until it forms a soft, cohesive mass; do not knead, because overworking makes maamoul tough.

4. 4

   Prepare the date filling by kneading the date paste with the softened butter and cinnamon until smooth and pliable. Divide it into 12 equal portions of about 28 g each, then roll each into a ball so filling is quick and consistent.

5. 5

   Prepare the walnut filling by combining chopped walnuts, powdered sugar, cinnamon, salt, and orange blossom water until the mixture holds together when pressed. Divide into 12 equal portions of about 20 g each and roll into balls; if it feels dry, knead for 30 seconds to distribute the moisture.

6. 6

   Portion the dough into 24 equal pieces of about 30 g each and keep them covered with a towel to prevent drying. Flatten one dough piece into a disk in your palm, place a filling ball in the center, then pinch the dough up and around the filling until fully sealed with no cracks.

7. 7

   Shape the cookies using a lightly floured maamoul mold by pressing the filled dough ball firmly into the mold, then tapping it out onto the parchment. If shaping by hand, gently flatten into a 4–5 cm round and decorate the top with fork tines or a paring knife in a crosshatch pattern.

8. 8

   Chill the shaped cookies for 15 minutes in the refrigerator so the butter firms up and the patterns hold during baking. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C and position a rack in the middle of the oven for even heat.

9. 9

   Bake one tray at a time for 16–18 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden but the tops remain pale, which is the traditional look for maamoul. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes to set, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before serving so the shortbread texture finishes crisping.