Maamool
“Perhaps one of the most widely spread dessert in the whole of the Middle East, Falasteen too, celebrates these stuffed Semolina cookies with great appreciation. Maamool is the one dessert that is served in all religious celebrations, traditional weddings and traditional birth celebrations since ancient times as well as being a permanent resident on the menu of street foods too. It seems we all love Mamool.
I personally love having them with coffee and very often end up having a tad more than I should!
The most popular varieties are those filled with dates, but the pistachio ones are a more sophisticated version. There is also the walnuts; well who does not like walnuts in any dessert! All options are included here for you so you can make a variety as you please.”
– Plated Heirlooms, Chapter 8, p.463
One of Arabic cuisine’s best creations. It comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and flavours. These cookies are most commonly served on occasions like Eid, Easter and Christmas. But nowadays you can find Maamool all year long in speciality Middle Eastern and sweet shops. Traditionally, made of semolina & Samneh (local clarified butter) mixed together to create a dough that is then filled with a variety of fillings (most common: Dates as below, Pistachios or Walnut filling). The fillings are what give Maamool its overall flavour. Go for the best quality ingredients when making Maamool as that makes a huge difference to the flavour.
Since Eid is approaching, and making Maamool requires some time and preparation, I am posting the recipes here for you, so you can give it a go and try making your own Maamool this year.
As with everything, practice makes perfect, and making Mamool might require a little bit of practice. Do give yourself some time to practice and make perfect 🙂