In a stand mixer, combine 6 cups fine semolina, 4 sticks of room temperature unsalted butter, and 1/2 cup sugar. Mix until fully incorporated. Let the mixture sit for an hour to allow the semolina to soak up the butter. After an hour, add 1/2 cup AP flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon yeast, 1 teaspoon ground anise seeds, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon ground cardamom to the semolina mixture. Then, add 1 1/4 cup warm milk to the dry ingredients, adding more if the dough appears too dry. Mix well and allow the dough to sit for about 30 minutes.
For the date filling: In a separate bowl, combine 2 packs of date paste with 1/2 stick of melted butter. Season the date paste with 1 tablespoon ground anise seeds, 1/2 tablespoon ground nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon ground cardamom. Mix the spices thoroughly with the date paste and set aside.
To assemble the cookies: Grab a small amount of the cookie dough and form it into a ball. Shape the ball into a small pocket. Take a ball of the date mixture, slightly smaller than the cookie dough ball, and place it inside the dough pocket. Wrap the cookie dough around the date ball, forming one large, smooth ball. Use a cookie stamp to press down on the ball, creating the mamoul design. Place the formed cookies on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, approximately 15-20 minutes, in an oven preheated to 400°F (200°C). Remove from the sheet pan and allow to cool. You can dust them with powdered sugar or enjoy them as is. Enjoy!!
