Easy Melomakarona Recipe (Greek Christmas Honey Cookies) Is Honey Blessed by Ann Marie G. Halstead

Melomakarona are one of the most popular sweet treats in Greece at Christmastime, with their warm and inviting scents of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. I love the meaning of melomakarona! It is a combination of the words “meli,” which means honey, and “makarona,” which comes from the ancient word “makaria,” or blessed. Honey blessed!

Melomakarona are soft, flavorful cookies that are soaked in a honey syrup. The syrup is what makes the traditional Greek cookies sweet and a perfect dessert for the holidays. And now you can bring the Greek tradition and honey blessings to your own holiday gatherings, making your home smell like Christmas! May you be “honey blessed” this holiday season.

Cuisine: Greek
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: Makes about 50 cookies

Ingredients

Syrup 

• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 orange, zested and cut in half
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup honey, cold

Cookies

• 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 - 1 cup walnut halves, finely chopped (pro tip: chop the walnuts after measuring)

Here’s how to make it:

1. To make the syrup, in a saucepan, combine water, sugar, orange and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes or until the sugar completely dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in the honey. Set the syrup aside to cool (do not remove the cinnamon or orange yet).
2. To make the cookies, in a large mixing bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, brandy, orange juice, orange zest, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix.
3. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda.Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the olive oil mixture (about 1/3 to 1/2 of the flour at a time), while mixing with a wooden spoon. Once all the flour has been added, knead the dough with your hands until smooth, taking care not to overwork the dough.
4. Take about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the cookie dough and shape it between your palms into an oval shape, like a small egg. Lightly flatten (not too much) and set on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Repeat, forming the cookies until you have used up all the dough. Space the cookies about 1/2 inch apart on the sheet.
5. In the center of each cookie, lightly press the tines of a fork in a crosshatch pattern. This will cause the cookies to flatten just a bit in the center (you don’t want them too flat).
6. Bake on the center rack of a preheated 350-degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cookies are golden in color but not too brown.
7. Remove the orange and cinnamon stick from the syrup. As soon as you take the cookies out of the oven, put them in the cold syrup, flipping them around, in batches, for about 20 to 30 seconds or so. Make sure that all cookies have absorbed the syrup. With a slotted spoon, remove the cookies from the syrup and arrange them on a tray or directly onto a serving dish. Sprinkle each cookie with a generous pinch of the chopped walnuts. To ensure that they will stick to the cookies, pat them down lightly.

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