Makroota sugar-free date cookies - Rouba Shahin Middle Eastern Cooking

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 1 ½ cups plain flour
• ½ teaspoon aniseed whole
• ½ tablespoon aniseed ground
• 1 teaspoon cardamon ground
• 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
• ½ tablespoon nigella seeds
• pinch of salt
• ½ tablespoon mahlab (optional)
• ½ cup olive oil
• 75 ml warm water
• 350 grams pitted dates
• 2 tablespoons roughly ground walnuts (optional)