Date Mamoul Cookies

Mamoul (also spelled ma’amoul) are Middle Eastern shortbread cookies stuffed with a nutty or fruity filling. They’re traditionally served as a sweet treat to celebrate a range of festive occasions including Purim, Easter, and Eid al-Fitr. Personally, I also like to have one (or maybe a few) to celebrate getting through a long week.

These buttery date mamoul cookies come to us locally from family-owned Shatila Bakery in nearby Dearborn, Michigan, just west of Detroit. The team at Shatila have been making these traditional pastries for over 40 years. The domed top of each mamoul has an imprint from the mold used to form them. The bottom has a crunchy texture from chopped pistachios. Each bite is a not-too-sweet combination of soft dough, fragrant pistachios and caramelly dates.

Each cookie is big enough to last two or three bites. The cookies come individually wrapped, making them perfect to share for the holidays (or to secret away for when you need a small, sweet pick-me-up).