Description
Greek Honey Walnut Cookies, also known as Melomakarona, are traditional festive treats featuring a delicate blend of orange, cinnamon, and clove flavors enriched with olive oil and brandy. These soft, moist cookies are baked to golden perfection and then soaked in a warm honey syrup before being topped with a fragrant cinnamon-walnut mixture, creating a perfect balance of sweetness and texture. Ideal for holiday celebrations or anytime you crave a luscious, aromatic cookie.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup semolina
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground clove
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ of a medium sized orange, zested
- ½ cup orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons brandy or cognac
For the Syrup
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
- Reserved orange that was squeezed for its juice
For the Topping
- 1-2 tablespoons honey (optional)
- ¼ cup walnuts, ground or finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, semolina, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ground clove until thoroughly combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk sugar, orange zest, and olive oil until sugar starts to dissolve and mixture is well combined, about a couple of minutes.
- Add Orange Juice Mixture: Stir baking soda into the freshly squeezed orange juice, then whisk this along with the brandy into the olive oil mixture to combine.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually whisk in the dry ingredients while the batter is still runny. As the dough thickens, switch to a spatula and gently fold in the remaining flour mixture just until no flour traces remain, being careful not to overmix to avoid oil separation. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape Cookies: Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion the dough into heaping tablespoons. Roll each into an egg-shaped oval, gently flatten the top, and poke a couple of holes on each cookie top with a fork. Place them spaced on the lined baking sheets.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until the cookies are firm and golden. Let them cool completely on the pans placed on a cooling rack.
- Make the Syrup: While the cookies cool, combine sugar, water, cinnamon stick, cloves, and reserved orange in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat, strain out the aromatics, and stir in the honey until fully incorporated.
- Prepare the Topping: In a small bowl, mix ground or finely chopped walnuts with cinnamon (optional) to add flavor and texture.
- Soak Cookies in Syrup: When cookies are cool and syrup is still warm, dip cookies a few at a time into the syrup, soaking each side for about 30 seconds or longer for moister cookies. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a lined baking sheet to drain.
- Add Topping: Drizzle or dot each cookie with extra honey if desired, then immediately sprinkle with the cinnamon walnut mixture to adhere. Allow cookies to dry before serving or storing.
Notes
- Do not overmix the dough to prevent oil separation; dough should be soft, pliable, and not sticky.
- Allow the dough to rest at room temperature to fully hydrate before shaping.
- Cookies and syrup temperature should differ; using cool cookies with warm syrup is preferred to avoid cookies falling apart in syrup.
- Syrup can be made ahead and cooled; cookies can be soaked in cool syrup while warm as an alternative soaking method.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container with parchment or wax paper between layers or in paper liners to prevent sticking.
- Cookies keep well at room temperature for up to two weeks and taste best after a couple of days when flavors meld.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
