Palestinian Kahk with Dates (Printable)

Buttery dough wrapped around sweet date filling, coated in sesame seeds; a beloved Palestinian treat.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
03 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/4 cup milk, plus additional as needed
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Filling

08 - 1 cup pitted Medjool dates, chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)

→ Coating

12 - 1/2 cup untoasted sesame seeds

# How-To:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy.
03 - Add vanilla extract to the mixture, then gradually sift in flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
04 - Add milk one tablespoon at a time, kneading gently until the dough is soft and pliable. Cover and let rest.
05 - Combine chopped dates and butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until soft and paste-like. Stir in cinnamon and cardamom, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
06 - Divide the dough into 24 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a disk using your palm.
07 - Place 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each disk. Fold dough over the filling, sealing and rolling into a smooth ball.
08 - Roll each ball in sesame seeds, pressing gently to ensure seeds adhere.
09 - Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten each ball with a fork or cookie mold to create a pattern if desired.
10 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the bottoms are golden and tops remain pale.
11 - Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before serving or storing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Buttery dough that practically melts on your tongue, with a sweet date filling that tastes like comfort in cookie form.
  • They look impressive enough to gift or serve at gatherings, but honestly, they're just as good eaten warm at your kitchen counter with strong coffee.
02 -
  • The dough should be soft and slightly sticky; if it's too dry, the cookies will crack when you fill them, and if it's too wet, they'll spread too much in the oven.
  • Don't skip cooling the date paste—hot filling will make the dough around it too soft to handle, and you'll end up with collapsed cookies.
03 -
  • If your sesame seeds keep sliding off before baking, brush the balls lightly with a tiny bit of water or milk before rolling them in the seeds—it acts like glue without changing the flavor.
  • A fork works fine for the decorative pattern, but if you find yourself making these often, a traditional kahk mold is inexpensive and makes the job feel almost meditative.
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