The first time I smelled date bread rings, I was walking past a bakery in Amman at about seven in the morning. That initial whiff of warm bread, dates, and cardamom had me hunting around to figure out what it was and why I’d never had it. When I finally found the shop the smell was coming from, you better believe I loaded up, and yes, I shared with friends.
My first trip to Jordan changed the way I thought about Middle Eastern food forever. Baklava by the box (for a fraction of the price back home), knafeh, mansaf, and date bread rings from a street vendor while I was still half-asleep, were just a few of the dishes I learned about while traveling.
By the time I crossed into Israel and Palestine later on the same trip, I was spotting date breads at every market stall. I bought way more than I needed, but I was walking a lot, so it probably wasn’t as bad as if I were sitting at my desk all day eating bread.
When I got home, I decided to try making them at home, as I couldn’t find them anywhere locally. My kids were the test audience, and both gave it a thumbs-up. I’ve been making them often enough that I’ve started playing with different fillings. The classic date paste version is still one of our favorites, but when it comes to bread, I’ll take every excuse to eat more.
If you’re thinking about a trip to Jordan and want to get a feel for the food culture before you land, my post on places to visit in Jordan is a good starting point. My vacation planner checklist will keep the logistics from spiraling.
What Are Date Bread Rings?
Date bread rings are a yeasted sweet bread stuffed with spiced date paste, shaped into a ring, brushed with egg wash, and finished with sesame seeds. They are softer and fluffier than a pretzel, sweeter, and the date filling gives them an extra hit of fiber, which means I can definitely eat more than one, right?
You’ll find versions of this bread (sometimes called ma’arouk, although I’ve seen a few people refer to them as Nawa‘em) across Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Palestine and Israel. Every culture has slight variations, but the core remains consistent: soft, fragrant dough wrapped around a warmly spiced date paste. These breads have been around for thousands of years, dating back to ancient Egypt.
These are nothing like the date-and-walnut bread you’ll find in Scotland, England, Australia, or Canada. These are pillowy and aromatic, and they are perfect with a strong cup of coffee or tea.
What You’ll Need
A few tools that make this recipe easier:
- Food processor for grinding the dates into a smooth paste. If you’d rather skip a full-size one, this mini food processor handles the filling without taking over your counter.
- Rolling pin — you’ll be rolling out eight pieces of dough.
- Silicone pastry brush for the egg wash. Far easier to clean than traditional bristles.
You’ll also need a stand mixer with a dough hook, two large baking sheets, and parchment paper.
Date Bread Ring Recipe Tips and Tricks
The spices are flexible
The cardamom in the dough and the cinnamon-cardamom in the filling are both adjustable. My family skews cinnamon-heavy (we’re basically cinnamon bun people), so I add a little extra. If cardamom is your preference, go for more of it.
Turmeric gives the dough its color
That golden look comes from turmeric. You can swap it for saffron threads soaked in warm milk if you have some — similar to what goes into St. Lucia saffron buns — but turmeric is cheaper and much easier to source.
Any good pitted date works
Medjool dates from a regular grocery store are fine. Baking dates from a Middle Eastern market are even better. Either way, grind them long enough to get a smooth, pliable paste with no chunks.
Temperature matters
Keep your milk and water between 100°F and 110°F before adding them to the dough. Anything hotter kills the yeast. A kitchen thermometer is the easiest way to be sure.
The broiler step is where It Can Go Wrong
The tops go from golden to burnt in under a minute. Stay at the oven the whole time.
Seal the edges properly
Press the seam firmly where the dough ends meet. Any gap will open in the oven and the filling will escape. Personally, I just hear Paul and Prue (Great British Baking Show) talking about soggy bottoms and leakage when I’m sealing my doughs.
Other Fillings to Try
Once you’ve made the classic version a couple of times, the dough becomes a starting point. Pistachio and honey paste, chocolate and tahini, or a straight cinnamon sugar filling all work well with it. The dough itself is good enough that there’s a lot of room to experiment.
Date Bread Ring Recipe
Makes 8 rings
Date Filling
Make the filling first so it’s ready when the dough is.
- 500g pitted dates (about 15 to 20)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom
- 2 to 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
In a food processor, grind the dates into a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the melted butter, cardamom, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Dough
- 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 packet instant yeast (1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup melted butter or canola oil
- 1/4 cup whole milk yogurt
- 1/2 cup warm milk (100°F to 110°F)
- 1/2 cup warm water (100°F to 110°F)
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Egg wash: 1 egg whisked with 2 teaspoons milk or water
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium, combine 4 1/2 cups of flour with the sugar, yeast, cardamom, and turmeric.
- Switch to low and add the melted butter until incorporated.
- Add the yogurt, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time.
- Switch to the dough hook. Slowly pour in the warm milk and warm water, keeping both under 110°F.
- Knead for 5 minutes, adding flour a little at a time if the dough is sticky. Keep going for about 10 minutes total, until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test: stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through it. If it stretches without tearing, you’re good.
- Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel, and let it rise in a warm spot for at least an hour, until doubled. If your kitchen runs cold, setting the oven to 100°F and putting the bowl inside helps.
- Once doubled, press the dough down gently with your palm. Not a punch, just a press.
- Rest the dough for 15 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (roughly 400 grams each) and the date paste into 8 equal parts (roughly 60 grams each).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Roll each portion of date paste into a rope the same length as the rectangle.
- Lay the date rope along the top edge of the dough. Roll the dough lengthwise around it.
- Pinch the seam firmly closed. A gentle roll along the floured surface helps it hold.
- Bring the two ends together into a ring and press the joined ends firmly closed.
- Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut 8 slits around the outer edge of the ring, going about 1/3 of the way through. Space them as evenly as you can.
- Brush each ring with egg wash using a pastry brush and sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds.
- Let the rings rest in a warm spot for another 10 minutes.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown.
- Switch to the broiler and brown the tops for 1 to 2 minutes. Watch them the entire time.
- Serve warm, or cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Want to Eat These in Jordan?
If this recipe has you seriously thinking about a trip to Amman, the food there is reason enough to go. My free weekend trip planner is a good place to start, and Viator has food and market tours in Amman that are worth booking if you want to eat like someone who actually lives there.
For trip photos that look as good as the food tastes, I use Flytographer for travel photography sessions. My link saves you $20 on your first booking.
Date Bread Rings
Equipment
- Organic Toasted Sesame Seed
- Natural Distilled White Vinegar
- Rapid Rise Instant Yeast Fast Acting
- Gourmet Organic Ground Cardamom
- Saffron Threads
- McCormick Organic Ground Saigon Cinnamon, 10 oz
- Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract
- Diamond Crystal Table Iodized Salt
- King Arthur Flour, 100% Organic All-Purpose Flour Unbleached
- Baking Trays Half Sheet (2 Pack)
- Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
- IF YOU CARE FSC Certified Parchment Baking Paper, 70 sq ft
- KitchenAid Stand Mixer
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 – 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 packet of instant yeast AKA 1 tbsp fast-acting instant yeast
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/3 cup melted butter or canola oil
- 1/4 cup yogurt whole milk if possible
- 1/2 cup warm milk 100°F- 110°F
- 1/2 cup water warmed (100°F- 110°F)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Egg wash 1 egg whisked with 2 tsp milk or water
- 1-2 tbsp sesame seeds
Date Filling
- 500 grams dates pitted (about 15-20 dates)
- 2 1/2 tbsp melted butter
- 1 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 2-3 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Date Bread Ring Instructions
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment set to medium, combine 4 1/2 cups of flour with the sugar, yeast, cardamon and turmeric.
- Switch to stir (or low), adding the melted butter until combined.
- Add in the yogurt, vinegar and vanilla, until combined.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure all ingredients are combined.
- Switch to your mixer’s kneading hook (or you can knead by hand), adding the warmed milk and water (do not let the liquids go above 110°F).
- Knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour if the dough is too sticky, kneading for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and passes the window test.
- In a large oiled bowl, turn out your dough into the bowl, covering the bowl with plastic wrap or a towel to allow the dough to rise in a warm, dry place for at least an hour or until doubled in size (you can set your oven to 100°F to help the dough rise if it is too cold in your kitchen).
- Once doubled, take your dough out and gently push it down with your hand (do not punch down your dough!)
- Allow the date dough to rest for about 15 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Line a large baking sheet or two half baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide your dough into eight equal pieces (about 400 grams per piece).
- Divide your date paste into eight equal parts (about 60 grams each).
- Roll out each piece of dough on a flat, floured surface, creating a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick with each piece.
- Roll each date piece into a long rope that is equal to the length of your rolled out dough.
- Place the date rope at the top of your dough, rolling the dough length wise along around the date paste.
- Pinch the edges of the dough closed. You can give it another little roll along your floured surface to help it seal.
- Join the two edges of the dough, making a circle. Double check that your edges are sealed, as they could open when baking.
- Using a sharp knife or clean kitchen shears, cut eight slits around the outer ring of your dough, only going 1/3 through the ring. Space your slits equally apart, or as much as you can, by starting just next to your circle seal and working your way around.
- Brush egg wash over each dough ring using a silicone pastry brush.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds (just a few on the top of each ring).
- Allow the dough to rest for an additional 10 minutes in a warm, dry space.
- Bake your date bread rings for 8-10 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.
- Switch to your broiler, browning the tops for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown (keep a watchful eye on your date bread as it will go from golden brown to burnt quite quickly).
- Serve them hot out of the oven or allow to cool on a wire rack and then store in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Date filling
- In a food processor, grind the dates into a paste.
- Pour date paste into a clean bowl, mixing in butter, cardamom and cinnamon.
- Set aside prepared date filling until bread is ready to roll out.
