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MELOMAKARONA - GREEK TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS HONEY COOKIES

Traditional Greek Christmas honey cookies, melomakarona, soaked in aromatic syrup and topped with walnuts. A festive favorite full of flavor.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 40 cookies
Calories: 190

Ingredients
  

For the syrup
  • 300 g water
  • 500 g of honey
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 250 g of fresh orange juice
For the dough
  • 350 g of olive oil
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 tbsp clove powder
  • Zest from 2 fresh oranges
  • 2 tbsp of honey
  • 200 g of orange juice
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp of baking powder
  • 800 g soft flour

Equipment

  • Saucepan for syrup
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Glass for dissolving baking soda/powder
  • Wooden spoon or spatula
  • Baking tray lined with parchment paper
  • Oven
  • Plate or serving platter

Method
 

For the syrup
  1. Boil for 5 minutes in a saucepan, 300 g water, 250 g of honey, 5 whole cloves and the 2 cinnamon sticks. Once it cools down a bit, add the rest 250 g of honey + 250 g of fresh orange juice
For the dough
  1. Place all the following ingredients in a large bowl: 350 g of olive oil, 1 tbsp cinnamon powder, 1/2 tbsp clove powder, zest from 2 fresh oranges and 2 tbsp of honey.
  2. Dissolve 1 tsp of baking soda and 1 tbsp of baking powder in a glass with about 200 g of orange juice.
  3. We incorporate all the ingredients from step 1 with the ingredients from step 2 all together and mix them lightly until they become one.
  4. Add 800 g of soft flour to the above mixture and knead lightly until a nice dough is formed. We don’t knead for too long, it doesn’t work.
  5. We mold and give the shape we want. Place in a baking tray with baking sheet and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 25 minutes.
  6. We syrup them directly as soon as they come out of the oven hot.
  7. Place on a plate and top with broken walnuts and fresh honey.