27 February 2023

Ma’amoul cookies are quite a tradition, though many families have different ways of making them, and with different ingredients, and also often using special moulding techniques to create intricate patterns. Our Pu Erh Vanilla Ma’amoul Cookies are very simple, using plain flour and a date paste infused with the earthy notes of pu erh tea and the sweet, soft essence of vanilla. Embellished with a pink rosebud and dusted with icing sugar, they are elegant as well as delicious, and make an excellent gift for sharing with loved ones during Ramadan.

pu erh vanilla ma'amoul cookies

Pu Erh Vanilla Ma’amoul Cookies

Duration: 1 hour

Serves: 32

Ingredients

  • 150g ghee or butter
  • 312.5 g plain flour
  •  2tbsps sugar
  • 2tbsps rose water or orange flower water
  • 3 tbsps milk (start with 2 and add as needed)
  • 300g pitted medjool dates
  • 3 pearls of AVANTCHA Ripe Pu Erh Pearls
  • 2 tsps vanilla bean paste

Method

  1. Crush the Pu Erh Pearls in a mortar and pestle or grinder, add to a bowl with the dates and cover with boiling water, cover with a plate and set aside
  2. Melt the butter or ghee and add the sugar, mixing to combine
  3. In a large bowl, combine the mixture with the flour, working them together with your fingers
  4. Add the rose water and then the milk, one tablespoon at a time
  5. Knead it all into a soft, pliable dough
  6. Let the dough rest for half an hour
  7. Divide your dough into 32 equal balls and set aside
  8. Drain the dates (save the liquid for a strong, sweet cold brew) and remove about half of the tea leaves before adding the dates and remaining tea to a food processor and blitzing
  9. Divide the date mass into 32 portions and roll them into smooth balls – be sure to flour your hands and a board to make this easier and have somewhere to place them
  10. Then take a dough ball and flatten it in the palm of your head before adding a date ball in the centre and rolling the sides of the dough around and upwards to seal at the edges
  11. Press into a disk, set aside, and continue with remaining dough and date balls
  12. Place the cookies with the smooth side up on a large baking sheet with at least an inch between each
  13. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the cookies are lightly golden
  14. Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar before pressing a little rosebud into the centre of each
  15. Store in an airtight container for up to a week

More Tea Recipes

Our other Ramadan dessert ideas include: 

Rose Gold Black Tea Fudge 

Majestic Earl Grey Brownies

And if you loved this recipe for Pu Erh Vanilla Ma’amoul Cookies, you might like to try our:

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Pu Erh Vanilla Ma'amoul Cookies