Date Makrood Cookies

Looking for an amazing pastry with cultural cachet and lots of complex, slightly earthy, softly sweet flavor? Then let me introduce you to your next favorite indulgence: makrood. Or makroud. Or makrout, maqroudh, or maqrouth. It goes by a few names but they all are delicous.

Makrood are a classic cookie traditionally served for north African Jewish Passover celebrations, though they're so good you'll want to eat them year round for just about every occasion. This particular take on makrood uses a 300-year-old family recipe. The cookie starts with a semolina wheat flour dough filled with dates, rolled up, cut into bite-size bits, and fried. After that, each little pastry is coated with an orange syrup giving the makrood a thin, citrusy jacket.

Each little pastry comes individually wrapped and is a welcome break at any point of the day or night. These might not be for everyone (if you like your pastries sweeter, I’ve got more than a few brownies with your name on them), but for those looking for less sweetness and more complexity of flavor and textures, then makrood are the exotic excursion you’re looking for.

Vegan