Desserts
ChefFatima Abdullah
Walnut Maamoul (Filled Shortbread)
Homemade walnut maamoul — an easy, detailed recipe for the best walnut‑filled maamoul. Use the same dough to fill with dates or pistachios if you prefer.
Walnut maamoul — an easy homemade recipe
Ingredients
Start here, then move straight into the method.
- 4 cups all‑purpose flour
- 4 cups fine semolina
- 500 g butter
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup powdered milk
- 1 packet or 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 medium spoon ground mahleb (mahlab)
- ½ cup oil
- A splash of rosewater
- A splash of orange blossom water
- Water as needed
- Filling
- Walnuts
- Simple sugar syrup (qatra / shireh)
- For more of Fatima's sweets see: Date Biscuit (Basbouset Tamr)
- To make "Ayn Al‑Maha" sweet by Fatima see: Ayn Al‑Maha Dessert
Method
Follow the cooking sequence without leaving the page.
- Mix the fine semolina with the flour. Add the butter and rub it in by hand without kneading until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the remaining dough ingredients and begin adding water, bringing the dough together gently — avoid over‑kneading. It's best to just gather the ingredients rather than heavy kneading.
- Continue adding water as needed until you have a cohesive dough.
- Let the dough rest for about one hour.
- Prepare the filling meanwhile: chop the walnuts and mix them with a little sugar syrup (qatra).
- After an hour, shape the dough into small balls, make a hollow in each, fill with the walnut mixture, then seal. Press each filled ball into a wooden maamoul mold to shape.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and arrange the maamoul on it.
- Bake the walnut maamoul at 180°C (356°F) until the cookies are cooked through and lightly colored.
- Allow the maamoul to cool to room temperature, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.
Recipe tags
DessertsLevantVegetarianGluten freeEgg free
Notes and serving ideas
- Date Biscuit (Basbouset Tamr)
- Ayn Al‑Maha Dessert
