Palestinian Kahk Date Filled (Printable)

Buttery Kahk cookies with sweet date filling and sesame seed coating, traditional Middle Eastern delight.

# What You'll 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 Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
03 - Add vanilla extract, then gradually incorporate flour, baking powder, and salt.
04 - Add milk one tablespoon at a time, kneading gently until dough is soft and pliable. Cover and rest.
05 - Heat chopped dates and butter over low heat, stirring continuously until paste forms. Mix in cinnamon and cardamom, then cool.
06 - Divide dough into 24 equal pieces, flatten each into a disk.
07 - Place 1 teaspoon of date filling into each disk’s center, fold over and pinch to seal, then roll into balls.
08 - Roll each ball in sesame seeds, pressing lightly for adherence.
09 - Arrange on baking sheet and flatten slightly with a fork or cookie mold, creating decorative patterns.
10 - Bake for 18–20 minutes until bottoms turn golden and tops remain pale.
11 - Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before serving or storing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like butter and dates melted into pure comfort, the kind of cookie that makes you close your eyes after the first bite.
  • Your kitchen will smell like toasted sesame and warm spices while they bake, and that alone is worth the effort.
  • Once you master the fold-and-seal technique, you'll feel like you've unlocked something ancient and special.
02 -
  • Room-temperature butter is not optional—cold butter won't cream properly, and your cookies will be tough instead of tender.
  • The date filling must cool completely before you use it, or the warm paste will soften the dough and make sealing nearly impossible.
  • Don't overbake them chasing color on top; the magic is in catching them when the bottoms are golden but the tops are still pale.
03 -
  • If your dough feels too soft after mixing, chill it for 15 minutes before shaping—this makes the filling less likely to leak out during baking.
  • A simple fork creates beautiful patterns, but if you find yourself making these regularly, a kahk mold from a Middle Eastern market is worth having.
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