These Moroccan Semolina & Date Cookies are a real treat and they’re usually served for special occasions. They’re soft, cake-like cookies shaped with a date paste filling, then baked or fried and drizzled with honey. Baking instead of frying is always a better alternative especially that these cookies are not easy on the waist!
Moroccans usually use ground Cubeb which is a spice that’s a cross between allspice and black pepper however, I replaced it with Mahleb in this recipe.
This recipe is courtesy of CookingwithAlia.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (250g) fine or medium semolina (farkha)
1/3 cup (70g) softened butter
2 tablespoon orange flower water (use as needed)
A pinch of saffron threads
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9 oz. (250 g) date paste
A pinch of ground Mahleb (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (if not already in your date paste)
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Honey to drizzle over baked cookies
Step 1: Making the dough
– Dilute the saffron threads in the orange blossom water so they release their entire flavor.
– Place the semolina in a large plate and using the tips of your fingers, mix it with the softened butter until each grain of semolina is well coated.
– Add a little bit of the saffron-orange blossom water to the semolina and mix well until you get a soft dough.
– Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 2: Making the date Filling:
– Add a pinch of the ground Mahlab to the date paste and mix.
– You can also add some ground cinnamon;
– The filling is ready! Divide the date paste into 2 portions.
-Oil your hands lightly and roll each portion into a log about the thickness of your finger.
Step 3: Shaping the Cookies:
– Take half of the dough, shape it into a log as long as the date paste log.
– Flatten the dough and insert the date paste log in the center.
– Pinch the dough around the date paste, then roll the entire log a few times on your workstation to seal it completely.
– Slice the log with diagonal cuts into bite size chunks.
– Use the tip of the knife to mark the top of each cookie.
Step 4: Baking the Cookies:
– Transfer the cookies on an oiled baking pan.
– Bake in a preheated oven to 360 F / 180 C for 30-40 minutes or until the cookies have a beautiful deep golden brown colors.
– As soon as your remove the cookies from the oven, drizzle some honey on top when they are still hot.
– Let the cookies cool down for several hours before serving them.
These cookies are so yummy believe me they’ll become a family favorite!