Maamoul
If you've got fine semolina, instant yeast and pitted dates, you're most of the way to this Middle Eastern dessert: about 60 minutes of cooking across 6 steps. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and blender. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Mix the semolina, flour and yeast in a large bowl, pour over the melted butter and rub it through until the mixture resembles damp sand, then cover and rest overnight or for at least 4 hours.
- The next day work in the milk and orange blossom water a little at a time, kneading gently until you have a soft, pliable dough that holds together without cracking.
- For the date filling, blend the pitted dates to a smooth paste with the cinnamon, and for the nut filling pulse the walnuts with the granulated sugar to a coarse crumb.
- Take a walnut-sized piece of dough, hollow it into a cup, fill with a teaspoon of date paste or nuts, then seal and shape into a ball or pat into a patterned mould.
- Arrange the maamoul on a lined tray and bake at 170C for 15 to 20 minutes until the bases are lightly golden but the tops stay pale to keep them tender.
- Cool completely on the tray, as they firm up as they cool, then dust generously with icing sugar before serving.
You'll use: Oven · Blender
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
What to serve with Maamoul
- Chicken Shawarma Chicken
- Kofta Beef
- Labneh Starter
- Manakish Vegan
Tips & common questions
How long does Maamoul take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 11 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Maamoul vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Maamoul is an original Middle Eastern recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: MaamoulCutInHalf.jpg by Cactus26, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.