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Lebanese Date Cookies

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PREP TIME
45 min
COOKING TIME
30 min
TOTAL TIME
575 min
SERVINGS
48 servings
Dessert Lebanese Middle Eastern
Lebanese Date Cookies
Ingredients
  • 2 cups semolina flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mahlab
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup clarified butter, at room temperature
  • 5 tablespoons milk
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 4 tablespoons orange blossom water, or more as needed
  • 10 tablespoons date paste (such as Ziyad®), cut into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, or to taste
Instructions
1
Combine semolina flour, all-purpose flour, mahlab, and salt in a large mixing vessel. Utilize your fingertips to blend the dry ingredients until they are thoroughly incorporated. Cover the bowl and allow the dough to relax at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight.
2
In a separate container, combine milk and microwave-safe bowl. Heat the mixture in short intervals until it reaches just warmth, approximately 15 seconds. Introduce sugar and yeast into the mixture and stir until it dissolves completely. Allow the mixture to sit for a period of time, about 5 minutes, until it becomes foamy.
3
Add the yeast mixture and orange blossom water to the dough. Mix the ingredients until they are evenly moistened. Remove a small portion of dough and shape it into a ball; it should maintain its shape without cracking. If necessary, add more milk or orange blossom water to achieve the desired consistency. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
4
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
5
Sprinkle a small amount of flour over the ma'amoul molds and gently tap out any excess dough. Remove a walnut-sized piece of dough and shape it into a ball. Press your thumb into the center of the ball to create space for the filling. Utilize your fingers to work the edges so that they are even and fairly thin. Insert a piece of date paste into the dough and pinch it over to seal.
6
Carefully place the cookie into the mold cavity, seam-side up. Press down so that the top is flush with the edges of the mold. Trim off any excess dough and invert the mold to release the cookie. Repeat with the remaining dough and date paste, arranging cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
7
Bake one baking sheet at a time in the preheated oven until the edges and bottoms are golden, but the tops remain mostly pale, approximately 15 minutes.
8
Sprinkle powdered sugar over the cookies while they are still slightly warm. Allow them to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container at room temperature.