7 Steps to Make Arabic Maamoul Cookies with a Chocolate Twist

Maamoul cookies are a festive favorite in Islamic countries, which are buttery and datefilled, and quite popular across the Middle East. These cookies are known for their meltinyourmouth 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 Silkfilled 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.

Silkfilled Arabic maamoul cookies

(Makes 32 cookies)

Ingredients

For the Dough:

• ½ cup ghee or butter
• ¼ cup butter or ghee
• 2 ½ cups allpurpose flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp rose water or orange blossom water
• 3 tbsp milk (as needed)

For the Chocolate Filling:

• 1 cup Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk chocolate, chopped
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp heavy cream

For Dusting (optional):

• Powdered sugar
• Almond flour

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Making the 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 flour, then add the gheesugar 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, nonsticky dough.
• Set aside the dough for 30 minutes with a cloth on top. Pinch out 32 equal portions of the dough and roll them into smooth balls.

3. Preparing the chocolate filling

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

4. Shaping of the chocolatefilled cookies

• 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.
  
  

5. Decorating the unbaked cookies

• Use a fork to create patterns of your choice on the surface of the cookies.
• Invert them and tap the front edge of the mold onto a hard surface, and hold your palm under the mold to get the cookie that is released from the mold.
  
  

6. Using a traditional Maamoul mold

• 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.

7. Baking the Maamoul cookies

• Arrange the Maamoul cookies, smooth side up (handdesigned cookies) or the patterned side (molddesigned 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 wellbaked 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.
• Use a sieve to dust some powdered sugar, by itself or mixed with almond flour.
• Store the Maamoul cookies in an airtight container up to a week at room temperature.