Authentic Ma'amoul Recipe Lebanon, Asia

These shortbread cookies popular in Levantine countries can traditionally have one of three possible fillings: date, walnut, and pistachio. For easier identification, the cookies will be shaped differently according to the filling that's hiding inside. Ones that have a date filling are round, and with a flattened top, the dome-shaped ones contain a walnut filling, whereas those filled with pistachios are shaped like elongated ovals. The dough, which contains no sugar, is made with semolina flour, ghee, and yeast, and perfumed with rose and orange blossom water. Flattened oblongs or balls of dough are then shaped and decorated using tabbeh — a traditional wooden mold used to make ma’amouls — arranged on a baking tray, and baked about 20-30 minutes, taking care not to overbake because the top of the cookie must remain pale. The nut ma’amouls are served dusted with icing sugar, while date ma’amouls, because they're already sweet as is, don’t ... Read more