Description
This Vegan Gluten-Free Maamoul recipe offers a delicious twist on the traditional Middle Eastern date-filled cookie, using wholesome ingredients like Medjool dates, rice flour, and ground almonds. Perfectly spiced with cardamom and cinnamon, these lightly golden, tender maamouls are dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan-friendly, making them an inclusive treat for various dietary needs.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 200g Medjool dates
- 3-4 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Dough
- 100g rice flour (or plain gluten-free flour)
- 100g ground almonds
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 60g coconut oil, melted (or vegan butter)
- 4-5 tbsp milk of choice (such as almond, soy, or oat milk)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) or 350°F to ensure it reaches the ideal baking temperature for evenly cooked maamoul cookies.
- Prepare the Date Filling: Place the Medjool dates and water in a pan over low to medium heat. Mash the dates continuously with the back of a wooden spoon until a smooth paste forms. Stir in the sesame seeds, ground cardamom, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Set aside and let the mixture cool completely to firm up for easy shaping.
- Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice flour (or gluten-free plain flour), ground almonds, and salt. Add the melted coconut oil and your preferred milk incrementally, mixing until a soft dough forms that is pliable but not sticky.
- Shape the Cookies: Divide the dough into 13-14 equal balls, adjusting based on mold size if using a Maamoul mold. Similarly, divide the cooled date filling into smaller balls compared to the dough balls to ensure sufficient dough wraps each filling.
- Fill and Mold: Flatten each dough ball in your hand, place a date filling ball in the center, then fold the dough completely around the filling. Press the filled dough gently into a Maamoul mold if available to imprint the traditional pattern. If you don’t have a mold, simply press the filled dough slightly to flatten and shape it by hand.
- Release and Bake: Invert the mold onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper and tap the edge of the mold on a hard surface to release the cookie. Arrange all shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheet, then place it in the preheated oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cookies are lightly golden and firm to the touch.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and allow the maamoul cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before serving or storing, which helps the cookies maintain their shape and texture.
Notes
- Use Medjool dates for the best natural sweetness and texture in the filling.
- If you don’t have a maamoul mold, shaping by hand works well to make these cookies.
- You can substitute coconut oil with vegan butter for a richer flavor.
- Adjust the milk quantity slightly if the dough feels too dry or sticky, aiming for a pliable dough.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
