Lebanese Maamoul Cookies (Pistachio Stuffed)
Lebanese Maamoul Cookies are a popular butter cookie made not just in Lebanon, but throughout the Middle East. It's a special occasion sweet treat usually served on holidays like Easter and Eid. It's texture is similar to a shortbread cookie, soft and a bit crumbly, and boy are they delicious! They're usually filled with either dried fruits such as figs and dates or nuts such as walnuts or pistachios. My favorite by far is the pistachio version and that's the version this recipe will show you how to make. However, you can switch up the fillings as you please once you get comfortable with the process. These cookies typically have unique designs because they are pressed into decorative molds. You can find these molds at any Middle Eastern home goods or kitchenware store or of course, you can find them online. If you don't want to get one or can't get one though, just bake off as a round dough ball and it'll still turn out great. Enough talk, let's make some maamoul!
Why You Should Make My Lebanese Maamoul Cookies:
- A cookie that's not too sweet
- Soft, crumbly texture
- Great holiday cookies
Ingredients for Lebanese Maamoul Cookies:
- Semolina - I use fine semolina in this cookie and it's the base grain of this recipe
- Ghee - Ghee is clarified butter
- Sugar - Adds sweetness to our cookies in the dough and in the filling
- Baking Powder - These cookies don't rise much, but the baking powder acts as our only leavener
- Salt - Use kosher or sea salt
- Milk Powder - Contributes to the texture
- Rose Water & Orange Blossom Water - Adds flavor to our cookies
- Pistachios - You can use walnuts, dates or figs in their place
- Cinnamon - Adds warm spice that complements the pistachios
- Milk - To thin our glaze
- Powdered Sugar - For our thin glaze and for topping our maamoul with
How to make Lebanese Maamoul:
Make the dough:
- Combine the dough ingredients all together in a large bowl and mix by hand until it comes together and forms a soft dough.
Make the Filling:
- Combine filling ingredients until well combined. It should be just hydrated enough so you can form a ball or mound of the filling without it totally falling apart.
FORM THE COOKIES:
- Make a ball of dough and begin to flatten out with your palm. Go around the edges of the flat piece with your index finger and flatten further until you have a small cup formed or a small pocket of dough where you can spoon your filling in. Spoon in a tablespoon or so of filling into the center of the dough and begin to pinch the edges together and re-roll until you enclosed the filling with the dough.
- Place the dough ball into a well floured mold and tap out firmly onto a baking sheet or countertop. Use a knife to cut the excess dough around the edges and then gently tap in the remaining dough with your index finger so you have a straight edge. Place the cookie on a baking sheet lined with parchment and sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake, Decorate and Cool:
- Place the pan of cookies into your preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. They won't take on much color.
- Allow your cookies to cool on the pan for a minute or two before moving to a wire rack. While the cookies are still warm, top with some powdered sugar.
- Combine your milk and powdered sugar until you have a smooth glaze that drips smoothly off your spoon.
- Pour a tablespoon or so of the glaze on top of each cookie and allow the excess to drip off. Then, top off with more powdered sugar and allow to cool completely. Enjoy!
MORE GREAT LEBANESE RECIPES:
- Lebanese Stuffed Vegetarian Grape Leaves (Warak Enab)
- Mom's Lebanese Rice with Minced Meat (Tidbeha)
- Mom's Lebanese Lemon and Garlic Chicken
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Maamoul Cookies (Pistachio Stuffed Cookies)
Equipment
- 1 Maamoul Decorative Mold
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 3 cups cups fine semolina 16.3 ounces
- ½ Tablespsoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup ghee 6.5 ounces
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 56 grams
- ¼ cup milk powder 30 gramss
- ¼ cup rose water + ⅛ cup rose water
- ¼ cup orange blossom water + ⅛ cup orange blossom water
Filling:
- 1 ½ cups roughly chopped pistachios (or walnuts) 6 ounces
- 2 tablespoons orange blossom water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Milk Glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons milk or more if mixture is too thick
Powdered Sugar for Dusting:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Make Cookie Dough:
- Combine the ingredients all together in a large bowl and mix by hand until it comes together and forms a soft dough.
Make Filling:
- Combine filling ingredients until well combined. It should be just hydrated enough so you can form a ball or mound of the filling without it totally falling apart.
Form Cookies:
- Take a ball of dough and begin to flatten out with your palm. Go around the edges of the flat piece with your index finger and flatten further until you have a small cup formed or a small pocket of dough where you can spoon your filling in. Spoon in a tablespoon or so of filling into the center of the dough and begin to pinch the edges together and re-roll until you enclosed the filling with the dough.
- Place the dough ball into a well floured mold and tap out firmly onto a baking sheet or countertop. Use a knife to cut the excess dough around the edges and then gently tap in the remaining dough with your index finger so you have a straight edge. Place the cookie on a baking sheet lined with parchment and sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake, Decorate and Cool:
- Place the pan of cookies into your preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. They won't take on much color.
- Allow your cookies to cool on the pan for a minute or two before moving to a wire rack. While the cookies are still warm, top with some powdered sugar.
- Combine your milk and powdered sugar until you have a smooth glaze that drips smoothly off your spoon.
- Pour a tablespoon or so of the glaze on top of each cookie and allow the excess to drip off. Then, top off with more powdered sugar and allow to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
- Best served within first few days.
- Store in covered container at room temperature.
- You need a decorative mold for the design, but if you can't your hands on one, just roll them into a ball and bake them as-is.
- You can stuff them with walnuts, figs, dates or pistachios.
