Tunisian Makroudh Semolina Cookies (Printable)

Semolina pastries filled with spiced dates, fried to golden perfection and glazed with honey for delightful flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 4 cups fine semolina
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
03 - 1/3 cup olive oil
04 - 7 tbsp warm water (plus more as needed)
05 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
06 - 1/2 tsp salt
07 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

→ Date Filling

08 - 1 1/3 cups pitted dates, chopped
09 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
10 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
12 - 1 tsp orange blossom water (optional)

→ Frying and Syrup

13 - Vegetable oil for frying
14 - 3/4 cup honey
15 - 2 tbsp orange blossom water (optional)
16 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Combine chopped dates, butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the dates soften and form a paste, about 5 minutes. Stir in orange blossom water if using, cool the mixture, then shape into thin logs approximately 3/8 inch thick and set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, mix semolina, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add melted butter and olive oil, rubbing with fingertips until the mixture resembles wet sand. Gradually incorporate warm water, kneading gently until a soft, pliable dough forms. Avoid overworking. Cover and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
03 - Divide dough into two equal portions and roll each into a log about 2 inches thick. Create a deep groove lengthwise along each log using your finger. Place a log of date filling into the groove, fold dough over to enclose it, seal, and roll gently to smooth. Flatten slightly and cut diagonally into diamond-shaped pieces approximately 1.5 to 2 inches each.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan to 340°F. Fry the prepared cookies in batches until golden brown on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Warm honey with orange blossom water in a saucepan. Dip each fried cookie into the warm syrup, then place on a wire rack to cool. Optionally, sprinkle with sesame seeds.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They shatter on the outside and melt on the inside in a way that feels like a small luxury every time.
  • The date filling is so naturally sweet you'll forget there's no excess sugar hiding in the dough.
  • One batch makes 24 cookies that genuinely improve over a few days, so they're perfect for gifts or stretching out the joy.
02 -
  • Don't be tempted to add extra water to the dough—semolina will keep absorbing moisture even after it looks dry, and an overly wet dough produces heavy, dense cookies instead of light ones.
  • The temperature of your oil matters tremendously; I learned this the hard way when I fried one batch too hot and they turned dark outside while still pale and slightly raw inside.
  • Orange blossom water is subtle and easy to skip, but even a small amount changes everything—if you use it, add it off heat so the fragrance survives to the final cookie.
03 -
  • If your dates are very dry, soak them in warm water for ten minutes before cooking them down—this prevents a thick, gluey paste and keeps the filling tender.
  • A bench scraper or dough cutter makes shaping the dough much easier and faster than a knife, and the diagonal cuts look more intentional.
  • Save a small bowl of honey syrup to reheat and brush over finished makroudh the next day if they feel like they've dried out slightly—this refresh is invisible and tastes like magic.
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