Ingredients
Scale
Semolina Dough
- 1 pinch salt
- 30 g orange blossom water
- 100 g water
- 160 g sweet butter, melted
- 500 g medium wheat semolina
Date Filling
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (liquid)
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
- 10 g butter, melted
- 300 g date paste
Honey Coating
- 2 tbsp orange blossom water
- 250 ml honey
Instructions
- Rest the semolina. Place the medium wheat semolina in a large bowl, pour in the melted butter, and work it through with your hands using rubbing motions until every grain is coated. Cover with a clean cloth and let it rest for at least 1 hour (overnight is even better and gives a more cohesive dough).
- Finish the dough. Add the water, orange blossom water, and salt to the rested semolina. Mix with your hands just until a smooth dough forms. Don’t overwork it or you’ll lose that slightly grainy texture that makes makrout what it is. The dough should hold together without crumbling but still feel a little sandy.
- Make the date filling. In a bowl, combine the date paste with the melted butter, orange blossom water, and vanilla extract. Knead everything together until smooth and pliable. If the paste is too stiff, warm it for 20-30 seconds in the microwave to soften it slightly. Roll the filling into a long log about 1 cm thick and set aside.
- Shape the makrout. Divide the dough into portions and roll each into a rectangular log, roughly 4 cm wide and 2 cm thick. Press a channel down the center with your thumb. Lay the date filling log inside the channel, then fold the dough over and pinch the seam firmly to seal. Roll gently on the counter to smooth the shape back out.
- Cut into diamonds. Using a sharp knife, cut the logs diagonally at about 3-4 cm intervals to get the classic diamond shape. If you have a makrout mold or stamp, press it on top to add the decorative ridged pattern before cutting. Place the pieces on a parchment-lined baking tray.
- Bake. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake for 20-25 minutes until the bottoms are golden and the tops are just starting to color. Don’t overbake them, you want a pale golden cookie, not a brown one. They’ll look slightly underdone on top but will firm up as they cool.
- Prepare the honey coating. While the makrout are still hot from the oven, gently warm the honey and orange blossom water together in a saucepan over low heat until fluid and fragrant. Dip each hot makrout into the honey, let them soak for a minute, then lift them out and set on a wire rack to drain.
- Cool and serve. Let the honey-coated cookies drain and set for at least 30 minutes before serving. The coating will firm up slightly as it cools, leaving a beautiful glossy finish on each piece.
Notes
- Use good quality date paste, or make your own by blending pitted Medjool or Deglet Noor dates with a teaspoon of butter until smooth.
- Don’t skip the orange blossom water in both the dough and the honey coating. It’s what gives makrout its signature floral fragrance.
- Let the semolina rest with the butter for at least an hour. Overnight gives the best dough.
- Dip the cookies in honey while they’re still hot from the oven. Hot cookies absorb the coating; cooled cookies will just be sticky on the outside without soaking through.
- A ruler or makrout mold makes it much easier to get uniform shapes and consistent sizing.
- If your dough cracks while shaping, it’s too dry. Add a tiny splash of water and knead gently.
- For cleaner cuts, wipe your knife blade between each slice.
- Scale up freely. This recipe doubles and triples well for Eid or large family gatherings.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Fried
- Cuisine: North African
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg