Maamoul Cookies ~Naturally Sweetened 🎄Christmas 🎄Treat !

Looking for a sweet treat? When I found this buttery date filled middle eastern cookie I was inspired. Naturally sweetened with dates, which is a nutritional mammoth! Rosewater (DIY) 🌹added to this cookie is sensational! I was excited the first time I used the cookie mold. A beautiful presentation.

Date Filled Cookies

  • Servings: 12
  • Difficulty: easy
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 Ingredients 
▢ ½ cup ghee or butter (grass fed) 
▢ ¼ cup light olive oil or butter/ghee
▢ 2 ½ cups all purpose flour (may use half whole wheat pastry flour)
▢ 2 tablespoons sugar (monk fruit or sugar substitutes of your choice)
▢ 2 tablespoons rose water *easy DIY recipe below
▢ 3 tablespoons milk (start with 2 and add as needed)
▢ DATE FILLING
▢ ⅔ lb dates medjool, soft, pitted, chopped (or ready made date paste)
▢ For the "DUSTING" (optional)
▢ ->Confectioners sugar, almond flour or a mix of both.
Instructions
1. First, preheat the oven to 177°C/350°F. 
2. Melt the butter or ghee. Add oil and then mix in the sugar. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ghee/sugar mixture with flour, working them together with your fingers.Tip: Use odorless oil or only butter or ghee. Add as much flour as the butter/oil mixture will absorb and that usually varies from 2 ¼ to 2 ½ cups 
3. Add the rose water and mix it in. Next add the milk, one tablespoon at a time. Then knead it all into a pliable dough. 
4. When you add the milk, sometimes it might look like there is too much milk and the dough is sticky. But when you keep mixing it in, the milk gets absorbed. 
5. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Then roll out 32 portions of the dough into smooth balls. I find this easier because all my cookies more or less turn out the same size.
DATE FILLING
6 Process the chopped medjool dates in a food processor into a smooth mass. Use soft medjool date. If the dates are too dry -add water a tbsp at a time.
7 Divide the date mass into 32 portions and roll them into smooth balls. Use oil or safe food prep gloves if needed, as the dates can be sticky.
SHAPING THE DATE FILLED COOKIES
8 Take a dough ball and flatten it. Hold it in the center of your palm and cup it. Place a date ball in the center. Bring the edges of the dough together. Pinch the dough to seal well and then flatten it out. Press it into a disc.Tip: Make sure to not use too much filling, or the cookies will crack.
9 Bake for 15-20 minutes


Steps

The mineral content of DATES contributes to bone health. Dates, rich in polyphenols has anti-atherogenic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The fiber in dates helps keep you regular and relieves constipation.

CELEBRATE! Holidays, Anniversaries, Graduation Day, All Special Events: Dust with Almond Flour (instead of sugar)

Maamoul Molds

Using a traditional Maamoul mold (<-click to buy)

  • MAAMOUL MOLD Instructions: A portion of the dough is first pressed into the mold. Then the date filling is layered on top of the dough.
  • Next, another portion of the dough is layered over the date filling and smoothed out.
  • Tap the front edge of the mold on a hard surface like a kitchen counter, and hold your palm under the mold to get the cookie that is released from the mold.
  • Well baked cookies will appear dry on the surface unlike the moist look of raw dough. Also, they will have a light tan. Dry cookie dough will crack during baking.
  • Chocolate fillings are popular. Gingerbread or almond cookies filled with pistachio, (pecans is my favorite). Fruit fillings: apricots, peach, cherries, apples and more. Add spices: cardamon, ginger or chia seeds. The combinations are endless.

Rose Water ~ DIY 🌹

Rose water 🌹 is a fragrant liquid made by steam distilling rose petals. It is commonly used in cooking and skincare due to its pleasant aroma and various benefits. Here is a simple DIY recipe to make rose water at home:

NOTE: For this recipe use 2 little dried rose buds (for rose tea) seeped in 2 tbsp hot water and cooled.

🌹 INGREDIENTS: 🌹

  • 2 cups rose petals (pesticide-free)
  • 3 cups distilled water

🌹 INSTRUCTIONS: 🌹

  • In a saucepan, combine rose petals and water and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the temperature to simmer.
  • Simmer until the color of the rose petals has faded. 5-10 minutes.
  • Pour the water and petals through a cheesecloth (using a funnel) into a dark bottle.

VARIATIONS: You can use homemade rose water in desserts, beverages, or a facial toner. It adds a lovely floral aroma and a delicate touch to any recipe or skincare routine. My grandmother used it all the time as a toner.

Can I Freeze Maamoul Cookies?

YES -> freezer safe containers or freezer bags.

Before serving, thaw the cookies and a lightly warm oven for fresh tasting cookies. Otherwise, store in a tight container.

Date Filled Maamoul

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