How to Make Magrood (Traditional Libyan Semolina cookies)

There’s no Eid without Magrood in a traditional Libyan household. They’re absolutely a labour of love but mean so much to us. Magrood is also essential for any celebrations, from small parties to big weddings. At weddings or parties, Magrood is usually packaged beautifully along with other traditional cookies like Abambar ( Amerretti cookies), Ghrayba, Baklawa and more.

Magrood (Traditional Semolina cookies)

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups semolina
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup rose water
• pinch salt
• sesame seeds Toasted,garnish
• 1.5 cups date paste
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

• In a small saucepan, mix all of your wet ingredients stirring occasionally until you bring to a boil.
• in a medium bowl mix all of your dry ingredients, add your wet to your dry ingredients. TIP: as every flour is different i suggest you add the liquids a little at a time until the dough is formed with no dry spots.cover and set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix your cinnamon with your date paste and shape into logs about an half an inch thick and the length depends on you really.
• now let us get back to the dough, grab a handful of the dough and place it on parchment or wax paper. Flatten in a rectangular shape about 1/4 inch thick and again the length depends on you. place your "date logs" in the middle of the dough. Fold both the dough sides over the date log and completely covering "the date log" roll onto itself and make sure the crease disappears.
• cut the dough into equal squares, even out the sides with your fingertips and begin by creating the design using the tweezers (you can find these in your local middle eastern store or your lovely Arab neighbour). the shaping process is really important as this helps the honey stick to the cookie as well as the sesame seeds. add to a lined sheet pan.
• when you’re a little over half way done with shaping, preheat your oven to 160 degrees celsius and pop your Magrood in the oven and bake for one hour or until golden brown.
• add your honey syrup (Find recipe here) and fully coat the Magrood. Cover the Magrood and allow it to sit in the honey syrup for 2 days ( I kow it’ll be difficult but the longer you keep it in the honey the better)
• sprinkle your sesame seeds and enjoy with a cup of green tea or coffee!