Melomakarona are richly flavored traditional Greek Christmas honey cookies. They're made with semolina, olive oil, and a delicious spice blend. Baked to golden perfection, the cookies are dipped in a fragrant honey syrup and topped with crunchy walnuts.
Ingredients: 3 cups semolina. 1 cup all-purpose flour. 1 cup olive oil. 1/2 cup orange juice. 1/4 cup cognac or brandy. 1/2 cup sugar. 1 tsp baking powder. 1/2 tsp baking soda. 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. 1/4 tsp ground cloves. 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg. Zest of 1 orange. 1 cup finely chopped walnuts. For the syrup:. 1 cup honey. 1 cup water. 1 cup sugar. 1 cinnamon stick. 3-4 whole cloves. Zest of 1 orange.
Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350F 175C. In a large bowl, mix the semolina, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and orange zest. Add the olive oil, orange juice, and cognac to the dry ingredients. Mix well until a dough forms. Take small portions of the dough and shape them into oval or oblong cookies. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown. While the cookies are baking, prepare the syrup. In a saucepan, combine the honey, water, sugar, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, and orange zest. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for 10-15 minutes until the syrup slightly thickens. Once the cookies are out of the oven and still hot, dip them into the warm syrup, making sure to coat them completely. Allow the cookies to soak in the syrup for a minute or two. Remove the cookies from the syrup and place them on a wire rack to cool. While the cookies are still slightly wet, sprinkle chopped walnuts over the top, pressing them gently to adhere. Let the cookies cool completely and absorb the syrup before serving.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
BFO Kaarten