Skip the cookie molds with this authentic Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer recipe! Learn how to make these easy, melt-in-your-mouth Lebanese semolina date bars featuring layers of spiced date paste and a crumbly golden crust.

Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer / Date Bars bring back images of my mom and her friends, sipping tea from delicate china cups, with an assortment of maamoul squares arranged on polished silver trays. There was something so elegant and refined about it all—and about these little pastries, one of the true classics of Lebanese cuisine.

The older I get, the more I appreciate maamoul in all its forms. They are the perfect treat when you want just a little bit of dessert, not the whole ball game.

Maamoul are destined to become holiday classics, but don’t wait for Eid or Easter to indulge your craving for Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer. They are just as perfect for a casual picnic or as a pick-up dessert after a light meal.

If you’ve ever had the chance to visit some of Lebanon’s gourmet sweet and pastry shops, you’ve probably seen Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer (Date Bars) assembled on round baking trays and cut into squares when served. They’re extremely popular—and, guess what? They can sometimes be quite overpriced!

Remind yourself that you can make them right in your own kitchen! Wait until you see how fun they are to make at home. They turn out just like the pastry-shop style, if not better!

It’s a wonderful recipe, so trust me on this one—you’re going to love it!

Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer / Lebanese Date Bars (Video)

Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer, or Lebanese Date Bars, are every date lover’s dream. They have a supremely dense date filling sandwiched between layers of buttery, crumbly semolina dough. In Lebanon, maamoul comes in numerous varieties and fillings, traditionally made with dates, walnuts, or pistachios.

The word mad literally translates to “spread,” so Maamoul Mad refers to maamoul that is spread and baked in a pan or tray. Here, forget about individually molding and baking the maamoul batch by batch. With this version, it’s simply one pan and you’re done — much less tedious to prepare without compromising on taste.

The dough is divided into two equal portions. One portion is pressed into the pan, followed by a generous layer of date paste, then topped with the remaining dough. Everything is baked together in one go. Once cooled, the maamoul is cut into squares or diamonds and served with a cup of coffee.

Just sublime!

Cutting the date bars into diamonds or squares makes them especially eye-catching, showcasing that rich, dense date filling sandwiched between the delicate semolina layers.

Dates Are Nutritious!

Dates are a great source of natural sugars, including sucrose, fructose, and glucose, which give them their naturally sweet taste. They are also packed with fibre and complex carbohydrates, and provide bone-friendly minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. In addition to their vitamin and mineral content, dates are rich in health-protective antioxidants.

Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer Ingredients: What You Need to Make Date-Filled Maamoul

You can find most of the ingredients used to make Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer at Middle Eastern grocery stores or online. Here’s what you’ll need:

Dates

Use fleshy, soft, and moist dates such as Omani, Khudri, or Medjool dates. Avoid dry varieties, as the dates need to be transformed into a soft, smooth paste for the filling.

Semolina

On our blog, coarse semolina is simply referred to as semolina. Also known as smida, semolina is produced by milling durum wheat.

Farina

Farina is the same type of semolina commonly used to make pasta, breakfast cereals, and puddings. It is simply very fine semolina, known as farkha in Arabic.

All-Purpose Flour

As the name suggests, all-purpose flour works well for a variety of baked goods, and Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer is no exception.

Ghee

Not all ghee brands are equally reliable, so use the best-quality ghee you can find. Good-quality ghee makes a noticeable difference in the flavor and texture of the maamoul.

Powdered Milk

Powdered milk adds richness and contributes to the delicious texture and flavor of the dough.

Powdered Sugar

Powdered sugar dissolves quickly and blends easily into the dough, helping create a smooth texture.

Orange Blossom Water

Orange blossom water is a clear, fragrant water distilled from the blossoms of Seville oranges. It is used generously in many traditional Arabic sweets and gives Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer its distinctive aroma.

Rose Water

Rose water is a clear, fragrant water traditionally distilled from fresh rose petals. It is widely used in Middle Eastern and Oriental sweets and adds a delicate floral aroma.

Mastic

Mastic adds a wonderfully aromatic flavor to the date filling and can take your maamoul to a whole new level. If you can’t find mastic, you can substitute it with a small pinch of ground cinnamon.

Baking Soda

Baking soda helps give the maamoul dough a slightly crisper texture. You only need a small amount.

To make Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer:

 Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the Date Filling

1. 1. Pit the dates: Pull open the dates by hand and remove the pits.
   2. Blend the ingredients: Transfer the pitted dates to a food processor. Add the ghee, orange blossom water, and mastic gum.
   3. Process into a paste: Blend until a smooth paste forms. If your food processor struggles with the date chunks, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to help it blend smoothly.

2. Make the Semolina Dough

1. 1. Combine dry and wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the farina, semolina, flour, ghee, powdered sugar, milk powder, baking soda, and rose water.
   2. Knead the dough: Mix the ingredients using your fingertips. The mixture will look crumbly at first. Continue to gently knead until it comes together into a smooth, malleable dough.
   3. Divide: Separate the dough into two equal portions.

3. Assemble the Layers

1. 1. Prep the pan: Lightly grease a 40 cm (15-inch) round baking pan with one tablespoon of ghee.
   2. Press the bottom layer: Using the palms of your hands, press one portion of the dough evenly across the bottom of the greased pan, ensuring full coverage.
   3. Spread the date paste: Evenly spread the date filling over the dough layer.
      • • Pro Tip: If your date filling feels too stiff to spread, mix in 1 or 2 tablespoons of orange blossom water to make it more pliable—just be careful not to make it too wet.

   4. Add the top layer: Take the remaining half of the dough and break it into smaller pieces. Flatten each piece and place them over the date filling one at a time. Use a damp palm to patch the pieces together and smooth out the surface into one cohesive layer.
   5. Create the pattern: Use a fork to score classic criss-cross marks across the top surface, which is the signature look of traditional Maamoul Mad.

4. Bake and Serve

1. Bake to golden perfection: Bake for approximately 25 minutes until both the top and bottom crusts turn a beautiful golden brown. Keep a close eye on it, as baking times can vary depending on your oven.
2. Cool completely: Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely.
3. Slice: Once cooled, use a sharp paring knife to score and cut the pastry into medium-sized squares before serving.

We are big date fans in our house, and these make an incredible make-ahead dessert. Once fully cooled, simply slice them into diamonds, layer them in an airtight container with parchment paper, and enjoy them all week long without compromising on taste!

Explore More Delicious Date Recipes

If you love the rich, natural sweetness of date-filled pastries, add these traditional Middle Eastern favorites to your baking collection:

• Traditional Date Maamoul Cookies: If you want to try the classic, individually shaped version of this dessert, my melt-in-your-mouth shortbread recipe is the perfect individual alternative to these sheet-pan bars.
• Tamara Ghraybeh with Pistachios: For an ultra-luxurious holiday treat, try these delicate Lebanese shortbread cookies stuffed with fragrant date paste and coated in crushed raw pistachios.
• Authentic Iraqi Kleicha: Shaped into beautiful tiny pinwheels, these spiced date-filled cookies are a staple holiday bake that pairs flawlessly with a hot cup of tea.
• Moist Date Walnut Bread: A comforting loaf cake packed with crunchy walnuts and sweet dates, making it an incredible option for breakfast or afternoon snacking.
• Banana Date Bread with Tahini: This modern twist on banana bread uses rich tahini and carob molasses to create a deeply flavorful, moist, and nutritious slice.
• To-Die-For Date and Goat Cheese Salad: If you want to shift from sweet to savory, this sophisticated recipe beautifully balances the natural sugars of soft dates with creamy, tangy goat cheese.

Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer / Lebanese Date Bars

No ratings yet

Prep: 30 minutes minutes

Cook: 23 minutes minutes

Servings 40 pieces

Course

Dessert

Cuisine

#Middle Eastern

---

Lebanese

---

Mediterranean

Print Pin Review

Description

Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer, or Date Bars, are every date lover’s dream. They have a supremely dense date filling sandwiched between layers of buttery, crumbly semolina dough. In Lebanon, they come in numerous varieties and fillings, made with either dates, walnuts, or pistachios.

The word mad literally translates to “spread,” so Maamoul Mad refers to maamoul that is spread and baked in a pan or tray.

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

For the Dough

• ▢ 2 cups farina طحين فرخة / taheen farkha
• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup semolina
• ▢ 1 tablespoon powdered milk
• ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 1¼ cups ghee or clarified butter at room temperature
• ▢ ¾ cup rose water
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ghee for greasing the baking pan

For the Date Filling

• ▢ 1.5 kg / 3 lb 5 oz Medjool dates or any good-quality soft variety
• ▢ 3 tablespoons ghee
• ▢ ½ teaspoon mastic gum crushed, or a pinch of cinnamon powder
• ▢ 3 tablespoons orange blossom water

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F, with a rack in the center.
• Prepare the filling: Pull the dates open and remove the pits by hand.
• Transfer the dates to a food processor and add the ghee, orange blossom water, and mastic gum. Blend until you have a smooth paste. If your food processor is having trouble breaking down the dates and achieving a smooth consistency, add a couple of tablespoons of water and continue blending.
• Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, combine the farina, semolina, flour, ghee, powdered sugar, milk powder, baking soda, and rose water.
• Mix the dough with your fingertips. The mixture will initially crumble; continue kneading until you have a smooth, pliable dough. Divide it into two equal portions.
• Lightly grease a 40 cm / 15-inch round cake pan with a tablespoon of ghee. Using the palms of your hands, spread one portion of the dough evenly over the greased pan, covering the entire surface.
• Spread the date filling evenly over the dough. If the date filling is still stiff, add 1–2 tablespoons of orange blossom water to make it more malleable and easier to spread, but don’t add too much. Make sure the date filling covers the dough evenly.
• Top it with the other half of the dough. Divide the dough into pieces and spread them over the filling one at a time. Use your wet palm to patch the pieces together, smoothing and leveling the surface to form one continuous, even layer.
• Use a fork to make criss-cross marks on the surface of the Maamoul Mad bil Tamer. These distinctive marks are characteristic of this type of maamoul.
• Bake until the top and bottom are an attractive golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
• With a paring knife, score into medium-sized squares. Sublime!
  

Video

Notes

Storage: Maamoul Mad Bil Tamer (Date Bars) can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 days, refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 2 months.

Keyword date bars, maamoul mad bil tamer

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!