Description
Melomakarona are traditional Greek honey cookies flavored with warm spices like cinnamon and cloves, soaked in a fragrant honey syrup, and topped with crunchy walnuts. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these spiced cookies offer a delightful balance of sweetness, moisture, and texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup brandy
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 orange
Syrup
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 strip of orange peel
Topping
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves. This ensures the spices and leavening agents are evenly distributed.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix olive oil, vegetable oil, orange juice, brandy, granulated sugar, and orange zest until well combined, creating a fragrant liquid base for the dough.
- Form Dough: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cookies tender.
- Shape Cookies: Shape the dough into small oval cookies about 2 inches long. Place them spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Use a fork to gently press a criss-cross pattern on top of each cookie for a traditional appearance.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until they turn a lovely golden brown color.
- Make Syrup: While the cookies bake, combine honey, water, granulated sugar, cinnamon stick, and orange peel in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer gently for 10 minutes to form a flavorful syrup. Remove the cinnamon stick and orange peel before use.
- Dip Cookies in Syrup: When the cookies come out of the oven and are still warm, dip each one into the hot syrup for 20 to 30 seconds to soak up the sweetness and moisture.
- Top Cookies: Transfer the dipped cookies to a wire rack. Immediately sprinkle them with a mixture of finely chopped walnuts and ground cinnamon to add a crunchy and aromatic finishing touch.
- Cool and Store: Allow the cookies to cool completely. They develop richer flavors after a day or two. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Notes
- These cookies taste even better after resting for a day or two as the flavors deepen and meld.
- Store the melomakarona in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks to maintain freshness.
- For a vegan adaptation, substitute honey with a plant-based syrup and ensure sugar is vegan-friendly.
