About This Dish
Diamond-shaped semolina cookies stuffed with a spiced date paste, deep-fried until golden, then drenched in warm honey. Makrout are one of Morocco's most popular traditional sweets, found in every patisserie and bakery across the country. The contrast between the crunchy semolina exterior and the sweet, soft date filling is addictive. They are particularly associated with Ramadan and religious holidays. In the eastern regions near the Algerian border, makrout takes on an especially important cultural role and is the most common sweet served at celebrations.
Ingredients
- 500 g Fine semolina
- 100 g Butter, melted
- 50 ml Vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp Orange blossom water
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 400 g Dates, pitted
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground cloves
- 300 g Honey
- for deep frying Oil for frying
Instructions
- 1
Mix semolina, melted butter, oil, orange blossom water, and salt. Let rest 30 minutes.
- 2
Process dates with cinnamon and cloves into a smooth paste. Roll into thin logs.
- 3
Take a portion of semolina dough, flatten into a strip, place date log along the center.
- 4
Fold dough over the date filling and seal. Score the top diagonally and cut into diamonds.
- 5
Deep fry at 170C (340F) until golden, about 3-4 minutes.
- 6
Drain briefly, then dip into warm honey for 2 minutes.
- 7
Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight container.
Tips & Tricks
- The semolina dough should not have any added water — just fat and orange blossom water.
- If dates are dry, soften them in warm water before processing.
- Score the tops decoratively — it helps the honey penetrate.
- These keep well for 2 weeks stored properly.