Arabic Maamoul Cookies

Written by Hanna Thomas | May 30, 2025

What Are Maamoul Cookies

Maamoul cookies are a festive favorite in Islamic countries, which are buttery and date-filled, and quite popular across the Middle East, traditionally made for Eid, Easter, and other celebrations.

These cookies are known for their melt-in-your-mouth quality and are utterly delicious. While dates or nuts are the preferred filling, we swapped it with chocolate for the chocolate lovers who want to try something different this Eid. They are usually made by hand or using special wooden molds (like it's done for modak and sandesh) to create different shapes. These Cadbury Silk-filled Arabic maamoul cookies are unapologetically indulgent, and the contrast between the crumbly and fragrant cookie dough and the molten heart of chocolate makes these cookies impossible to forget.

Seven Steps to Make Arabic Maamoul Cookies with a Chocolate Twist

Step 1 — Make the Semolina Dough

• Melt the butter or ghee in a pan, let it cool off a little, then add oil and sugar and mix.

• Take a large mixing bowl, add the Semolina flour, then add the ghee-sugar mixture to it, mixing them with your fingers.

• Add the rose water next and mix. Add the milk next, one tablespoon at a time. Knead this until you have a pliable, non-sticky dough.

Step 2 — Prepare the Chocolate Filling

• Melt 1 cup of chopped Cadbury Dairy Milk Dark chocolate, stirring constantly, in a double boiler or microwave, until smooth. Let it cool slightly until it thickens a bit.

• Stir in ¼ cup finely crushed nuts, such as walnuts or pistachios, plus a pinch of cinnamon or 1 tsp finely grated orange zest.

• Optional: You can add 1 tbsp of cream or butter for a silkier texture.

• Divide the chocolate filling into 32 portions and roll them into smooth balls. Set aside.

• If not using a firm filling, chill the portions to hold their shape during shaping.

Step 3 — Rest the Dough

• The dough for Arabic maamoul cookies must be left to rest because it allows the semolina to absorb water and become tender. This, therefore, makes the dough smooth, less crumbly, and easier to shape.

Step 4 — Shape the Cookies

• If you managed to get your hands on a maamoul mold, sprinkle a bit of flour on it. Then portion and press a part of the dough into the mold. Then layer the chocolate filling on top of the dough.

• Layer another portion of the dough over the chocolate filling and smooth it out.

• Tap the front edge of the mold on a hard surface, with your palm under the mold, to extract the cookie from the mold. Repeat until both dough and filling are used up.

• Take a dough ball and flatten it, then cup it in the center of your palm,

• Press a chocolate ball in its center, and close the edges of the ball over the filling.

• Be careful not to use too much filling, or you will have cracked cookies.

• Then pinch the dough to seal and flatten it into a disc.

Step 5 — Fill Without Overstuffing

• For Arabic maamoul cookies, you need about 2 parts dough to 1 part filling.

• That way, you can get a good amount of dough to really stuff the cookies without going wild and making the center ooze out when it's hot, sealing the edges and shaping into a ball before putting them to cool.

Step 6 — Bake Low and Slow

• Arrange the Maamoul cookies, smooth side up (hand-designed cookies) or the patterned side (mold-designed cookies), on a large baking sheet, placed 2 inches apart.

• Transfer to the oven and bake for 1520 minutes. Keep a close watch to avoid the cookies from overbaking and browning way too much. Shut the oven off earlier if needed.

• You will know your cookies are well baked when they appear dry on the outside with a golden tan. The cookies will keep baking after they come out of the oven, so keep that in mind when removing them.

• Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool off completely.

Step 7 — Dust and Serve

• Use a sieve to dust with powdered sugar, by itself or mixed with almond flour.

• Store the Maamoul cookies in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature.