How long does it take to make Maamoul?

Bake at 175–180°C (345–355°F) for 15–20 minutes, until lightly golden: the cookies stay pale.

1 hr 4 minTotal

15 minActive time

50 minSetting

Step by Step

#	What to do	How long
1	Rub the semolina, flour and butter together with your hands	—
2	Cover and let the dough rest 30 minutes	1 min
3	Cover and let the dough rest 30 minutes	30 min
4	Mix the dates and cinnamon by hand into a smooth paste	1 min
5	Shape the dough into walnut-size balls, flatten each ball in your palm, place a teaspoon of filling in the center and seal well	12 min
6	Shape the dough into walnut-size balls, flatten each ball in your palm, place a teaspoon of filling in the center and seal well	1 min
7	Press each cookie into a maamoul mold, unmold and arrange on the baking sheet	1 min
8	Let cool completely, and only then dust with the powdered sugar	18 min
9	Let cool completely, and only then dust with the powdered sugar	1 min

How to Tell It's Done

until every grain of semolina is coated in fat

Tips

Knead only until the dough comes together: long kneading toughens it, and the maamoul comes out hard instead of crumbly.
Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
Warm maamoul crumbles in your hands: touch it and dust with powdered sugar only once it is completely cold.

Common Mistakes

Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.

More Ways

Rub the semolina with the melted butter until every grain is coated, add flour and sugar, then the liquid gradually; don't overwork it, so the cookies stay crumbly.
Flatten each ball of dough in your palm, place a ball of date filling in the center and seal well, then shape in a maamoul mold or with pastry tweezers.
Let cool completely before touching, since warm maamoul crumbles, and only then dust with powdered sugar.

The full recipe: Maamoul →

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