Ma'amoul Cookies

Makes 30 cookies

Maamoul cookies made by Damascus restaurant in Brooklyn, Wellington. Photo: Damascus

Ingredients

• 4 cups of plain flour
• 1 cup of butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup of icing sugar
• 1/2 cup of water 
• 2 tablespoon of sugar syrup
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

For the filling:

• 2 cups of dates
• 2 tablespoon of butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom

1 - Mix the flour with the butter until is combined. Leave in the fridge for half an hour.
2 - Add the remain ingredients, mix until it becomes a dough and let it rest inside the fridge for another half an hour.
3 - Mix all the ingredients for the filling and leave aside.
4 - Remove the dough from the fridge and make small balls, around 20 grams each, and filled with the date filling (around 15 grams each).
5 - Bake at 170°C until you see they are gold brown on the top.
6 - Cool down and enjoy!