Lebanese Walnut Cookies Recipes

LEBANESE WALNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, and heat oven to 375°F.
• Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl.
• Add orange water and sifted flour, and stir until the mixture forms a thick dough.
• Set aside.
• To prepare the filling, combine the nuts, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Form 1 inch balls with the dough, and press the center to form a dent for the filling.
• Fill each cookie with about a teaspoon of the filling, and place the cookies on the parchment.
• Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden.
• Cool on wire racks.

MAGIC WALNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F ( 175 degrees C ). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl mix together the egg whites, sugar, and nuts until well blended. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, three inches apart, onto the lined cookie sheets. Using the back of a spoon, dipped in water, flatten into rounds about 1.5 inches in diameter. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Cookies should be lightly browned. Let cool slightly before removing from sheets. If the cookies are stuck, they need to be baked a little longer.
• In a plastic bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave oven, stirring every 15 or 30 seconds until smooth and creamy. This can also be done over a double boiler. Spread the chocolate onto the flat side of a cookie and stick it together with the flat side of another cookie to make a sandwich until all the cookies are used up.

LEBANESE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In mixing bowl, beat cooking oil and butter until blended; beat in sugar.
• Add orange juice, baking powder and baking soda, mix well.
• Gradually add flour to make a soft dough.
• With clean hands, shape dough into 2-inch ovals. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.
• Cool about 2 minutes and remove to a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the 3/4 cup sugar, honey and 1/2 cup water, bring to a boil. Gently boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Dip the COOLED cookies into the warm syrup.
• Sprinkle immediately with the finely chopped walnuts.
• Return to wire rack to set.

MA'AMOUL (LEBANESE DATE COOKIES)

Steps:

• Mix semolina flour, all-purpose flour, mahlab, and salt together in a large bowl. Work clarified butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until thoroughly incorporated. Cover bowl and let dough rest at room temperature, 8 hours to overnight.
• Pour milk into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until just warm, about 15 seconds. Stir in sugar and yeast until dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
• Pour yeast mixture and orange blossom water over the dough and mix until evenly moistened. Pinch off a piece of dough and roll into a ball; it should hold its shape without cracking. Add more milk or orange blossom water if needed. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• Sprinkle some flour over the ma'amoul molds and tap out the excess. Pinch off a walnut-sized piece of dough and roll into a ball. Press your thumb into the ball to create space for the filling. Work the edges with your fingers so the sides are even and fairly thin. Drop in a piece of date paste and pinch dough over it to seal.
• Place cookie into the mold cavity seam-side up. Press down so that the top is flush with edges of the mold. Trim off any excess dough. Invert the mold and tap it against your work surface to release the cookie. Repeat with remaining dough and date paste, arranging cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven, 1 baking sheet at a time, until edges and bottoms are golden but tops are still mostly pale, about 15 minutes.
• Sift powdered sugar over the cookies while still slightly warm. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.