Celebrating Eid al-Fitr with Traditional Palestinian Ma’moul

Ramadan Mubarak from Palestine! For Eid al-Fitr this year, Handmade Palestine team member Bisan and her family are making ka’ek al eid ma’moul in Nablus the traditional way. They decorate the treats by hand like the old times and bake them in one of the old forns (bakeries) in the Old City of Nablus, which is known to be the heaven of sweets in Palestine.

Eid al-Fitr is the holiday that finishes the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims. Around the world, there are countless traditions to celebrate this day.

In Palestine, it’s tradition to make kaek al eid ma’moul for Muslims on Eid al-Fitr! On the other eid, Muslims sacrifice sheep and distribute meat. So on Eid al-Fitr, it’s usual for Muslims to concentrate on being artistic about sweets – mainly ma’moul!

Ma’moul is a stuffed butter cookie made with semolina flour. The filling can be made with dried and squashed dates, and adding in nuts like pistachios or walnuts, and sometimes almonds, is a plus!

Each piece of ma’moul is decorated by hand and made in a different shape according to what is inside it. So essentially, they have different shapes for different stuffings!

This sweet treat is also a shared tradition throughout Palestine! Muslims make ma’moul to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, and Christians celebrate Easter with ma’moul too! So around this time of year, you can find it almost every Palestinian home.

We’re sharing a ma'moul recipe so you can celebrate in your own home wherever you may be!

1. 1 kilo semolina
2. ½ kilo flour
3. 1 bar margarine
4. 2 bars butter
5. 1 cup vegetable oil
6. Fenel
7. Date paste
8. 1 spoon cinnamon powder
9. 1 spoon cardamom powder
10. ½ spoon nutmeg powder