Last Updated on January 29, 2026 by The Daily Simmer Team
Depending on where you are from, you might know these as Kleicha or simply date cookies. The original recipe calls them “dumplings,” but that can be a bit misleading for English speakers—they are definitely baked, not boiled. Think of them as a cross between a soft dinner roll and a shortbread cookie. They are rich with ghee and packed with sweet dates.
I make these when I have a quiet afternoon because there is a lot of repetitive rolling and filling involved. It’s actually quite therapeutic. The dough uses a massive amount of flour (this recipe makes a big batch), so make sure your mixer can handle it, or be prepared to knead by hand. One thing to note: the smell of the toasted sesame and warm yeast while these bake is incredible.
Contents
Ingredients
The Dough
- 7 cups all-purpose flour (approx. 1 kg)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp powdered milk (adds richness)
- 1 tbsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds
- ¼ cup buttermilk (yogurt works too if you thin it out)
- 1 cup ghee, melted but not boiling hot
- 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
The Filling
- 1 lb date paste (often labeled as “Ajwa” or baking dates)
- 2 tbsp ghee or butter (to soften the dates)
Instructions
- Mix the Base: In a large bowl (or stand mixer), dump in the flour, sesame seeds, milk powder, sugar, yeast, baking powder, salt, melted ghee, and buttermilk. Mix this until it looks crumbly.
- Hydrate: Slowly stream in the warm milk while kneading. The dough should start coming together.
- Add the Oil: Add the vegetable oil last. This seems counter-intuitive, but it helps coat the gluten strands and makes the dough easier to handle. Knead until smooth.
- Rise: Cover the dough and let it sit for an hour. It should puff up significantly.
- Prep the Dates: While the dough naps, mash the date paste with the extra ghee. I usually roll the date paste into small balls beforehand so I don’t get sticky date fingers all over the clean dough later.
- Shape: Divide the dough into balls (about the size of a golf ball). Flatten one, put a date ball in the middle, and seal it up. Make sure you pinch that seam tight, or they will burst open in the oven.
- Bake: Oven at 400°F. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. You want a nice golden brown color, not pale.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Texture: Using both yeast and baking powder creates a unique texture—fluffy like bread but with a crisp, cookie-like exterior.
- Not Too Sweet: The dough itself has very little sugar; almost all the sweetness comes naturally from the dates.
- Crowd Pleaser: This recipe makes a large batch, perfect for filling a cookie jar or sharing with neighbors.
Chef’s Tips for Perfection
- Yeast and Baking Powder? You might wonder why we use both. The yeast provides the main lift and bread-y flavor, while the baking powder adds a tenderness that makes the crust bite cleanly rather than being chewy. It’s a trick used in many Middle Eastern pastries.
- Date Paste Consistency: If your date paste is rock hard (which happens if it’s old), microwave it for 20 seconds with a splash of water before mixing in the ghee. It should feel like playdough.
- Storage: These keep remarkably well at room temperature in an airtight container. In fact, the crust tends to soften slightly the next day, which I actually prefer.
Storage and Reheating
Store these in a sealed container on the counter for up to a week. They don’t really need reheating, but if you want that “fresh out of the oven” experience, 10 seconds in the microwave works wonders.
Nutritional Notes
These are energy-dense thanks to the ghee and dates. One pastry is roughly 300 calories, so they make for a substantial breakfast or a heavy snack rather than a light dessert.
Kleicha Date Cookies: The Middle East’s Best-Kept Sweet Secret
