This walnut maamoul recipe makes soft, buttery semolina cookies with a warm filling of walnuts, cinnamon and rose water. Walnut maamoul is less sweet than the date version and less costly than pistachio, so it is often the most common cookie on the Eid tray.
In this version, hot ghee is poured over the semolina and the dough rests overnight, so it turns tender and sandy without milk or yeast. After the recipe, you will also find fixes for crumbly dough, leaking filling, and cookies that taste bland.
Walnut Maamoul Recipe at a Glance
- Prep time: 1 hour (plus overnight resting)
- Bake time: 15–18 minutes
- Makes: about 30 cookies
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 g (2¾ cups) fine semolina
- 250 g (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) ghee, heated until hot
- 60 g (⅓ cup) sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground mahlab
- ¼ teaspoon mastic, ground with 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons rose water
- 3 tablespoons orange blossom water
- 2–4 tablespoons water, as needed
For the walnut filling
- 250 g (2½ cups) walnuts, finely chopped
- 70 g (⅓ cup) sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon rose water
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
How to Make This Walnut Maamoul Recipe
- Scald the semolina. First, mix the semolina with the sugar, mahlab and mastic. Pour the hot ghee over it and stir with a spoon, then rub it in with your fingertips once it is cool enough to touch.
- Rest overnight. Next, cover and leave it at room temperature for 8–12 hours.
- Make the filling. Then toast the walnuts for 5 minutes, cool them, and mix with the sugar, cinnamon, rose water and butter.
- Form the dough. After that, sprinkle in the rose water and orange blossom water, then add water a spoonful at a time, kneading gently until the dough holds together. Rest it for 30 minutes.
- Fill. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Then flatten a walnut-sized piece of dough in your palm, add a teaspoon of filling, and seal it into a smooth ball.
- Shape. Press each ball into a round maamoul mold, tap it out, and place it on a lined tray.
- Bake. Finally, bake for 15–18 minutes, until the bottoms are golden. Let the cookies cool completely on the tray before moving them.
Walnut Maamoul Recipe: Common Problems and How to Fix Them
Why is my maamoul dough crumbly?
Cause: This usually happens because the dough needs more liquid, or the semolina is very coarse.
Fix: Add water or flower water one teaspoon at a time until the dough feels soft and smooth. Also, use mostly fine semolina, because coarse grains do not bind as well.
Why did the filling leak out?
Cause: You overfilled the cookie, or the filling was too wet.
Fix: Use about one teaspoon of filling per cookie, and pinch the seam closed firmly before molding.
Why does my maamoul crack on top?
Cause: The dough dried out while you worked.
Fix: Keep the bowl covered with a damp towel while you shape the cookies. For more solutions, read our guide to maamoul cracking.
Why do the cookies taste bland?
Cause: Raw walnuts and too little spice.
Fix: Toast the walnuts first, since toasting brings out their flavor. In addition, add a pinch of mahlab or cardamom to the filling.
Tips for Success With This Walnut Maamoul Recipe
- Chop the walnuts finely so they fill the cookie evenly.
- Use a round mold for walnut maamoul, because it is the traditional shape for this filling.
- Let the cookies cool fully before moving them, because they are fragile when hot.
Walnut Maamoul Recipe Variations
- Pistachio filling: see our pistachio maamoul recipe.
- Date filling: see our date maamoul recipe.
- Mixed nuts: for a change, combine walnuts with almonds or hazelnuts for a richer filling.
Storage Tips
Store walnut maamoul in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. In addition, you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
The Story Behind It
Families across Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan bake maamoul together before Eid and Easter, often filling several kinds in one day. Walnut maamoul is a classic in Damascus and Aleppo, where walnut trees are common. You can read more about ma’amoul on Wikipedia.
Walnut Maamoul Recipe FAQ
Should walnut maamoul be dusted with sugar?
Yes, many families dust nut-filled maamoul with powdered sugar after it cools. Date maamoul, however, is usually left plain.
Can I use butter instead of ghee?
Yes. Butter gives a richer taste, while ghee makes the cookies more tender and keeps them fresh longer.
How do I know when maamoul is done?
First, lift one cookie and check the bottom. It should be golden, while the top stays pale.
Want more? If you enjoyed this walnut maamoul recipe, take a look at our digital cookbook: 31 sweet recipes from the Middle East and the West, written in the same step-by-step style.
