Name: Greek Honey Orange Cookies | Melomakarona
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 625 ml water (2½ cups); 550 g sugar (2½ cups); juice of ½ an orange; the peel from a whole orange (white pith removed); 2 cinnamon sticks; 4 whole cloves; 150 g honey (½ cup); 1 kg all-purpose flour (8 cups); 100 g semolina (½ cup); 3 tsp cinnamon; 250 ml orange juice (1 cup); 1 tsp baking soda; 100 g sugar (½ cup); zest of one orange; 250 ml extra light olive oil (don't use extra virgin!) (1 cup); 150 g honey (½ cup); 60 g ground walnuts (½ cup); ½ tsp cinnamon

Kristin

Greek Honey Orange Cookies | Melomakarona

A Greek Christmas cookie flavored with orange and cinnamon that is dipped in a honey orange cinnamon syrup and then drizzled with honey and topped with ground walnuts.

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Prep Time 1

Cook Time 25

Cooling Time 2

Servings: 7 dozen

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Greek

Ingredients Method Video

Ingredients

Soaking Syrup

625 ml water 2½ cups
550 g sugar 2½ cups
juice of ½ an orange
the peel from a whole orange (white pith removed)
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
150 g honey ½ cup

Cookie Dough

1 kg all-purpose flour 8 cups
100 g semolina ½ cup
3 tsp cinnamon
250 ml orange juice 1 cup
1 tsp baking soda
100 g sugar ½ cup
zest of one orange
250 ml extra light olive oil (don't use extra virgin!) 1 cup

Topping

150 g honey ½ cup
60 g ground walnuts ½ cup
½ tsp cinnamon

Method

Soaking Syrup

Put all of the ingredients for the soaking syrup (except the honey) into a medium-sized saucepan. Bring it to a boil and then turn off the heat.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool. Whisk in the honey while it is still warm. Let the syrup cool to at least room temperature. This may take a couple of hours. It should not be hot when dipping the cookies in it. You can place it in the refrigerator. It's okay if is cold when dipping the cookies.
Before using the syrup, strain out the peel and spices.

Making the Cookies

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, semolina, and cinnamon, and then set aside.
In another large bowl, whisk together the orange juice and baking soda. Then whisk in the sugar and orange zest. Continue whisking and add the olive oil in a steady stream until it is emulsified with the rest of the liquid.
Then stir in the flour mixture a little bit at a time until is fully combined and there are no streaks of flour left. Don't overmix, though. Stop mixing as soon at the flour is incorporated.
Now, take a small scoop of dough using a large dinner spoon. Roll the mixture between your hands to form an elliptical shape. Place this on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You can place the cookies somewhat close together because they do not spread during baking. Using a fork, poke three sets of holes in the tops of each cookie. This will help them to absorb the liquid from the soaking syrup after they are baked.
Bake them in a 400℉ / 200℃ preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Keep an eye on them towards the end to make sure the bottoms of the cookies don't get too dark.
As soon as you remove them from the oven, dip them in the honey syrup for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then, strain them out and place them on a rack to drain.
After they've fully cooled, dip the top of each cookie in honey and sprinkle with the walnut cinnamon mixture.

Greek Honey Orange Cookies | Melomakarona

Ingredients

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