Greek
Melomakarona
Spiced orange-olive oil cookies dipped in honey syrup and finished with a generous walnut crumble.
30 servings · 40 minutes prep · 30 minutes cook
Ingredients
Syrup
- 1 1/2 cups Greek honey
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 strip orange peel
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Cookies
- 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp brandy
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts
Directions
Method
- Simmer the Greek honey, granulated sugar, water, cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange peel for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, cool until warm, and discard the spices and peel.
- Heat the oven to {{temperature:350°F}}. Whisk the extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, orange juice, granulated sugar, brandy, orange zest, cinnamon, ground cloves, baking soda, and baking powder until smooth.
- Fold in the all-purpose flour and kosher salt just until a soft dough forms.
- Shape oval cookies and press the tops lightly with a fork or grater pattern. Bake on parchment-lined sheet pans until set and browned at the edges, 22-26 minutes.
- Dip the hot cookies in the warm syrup for 20-30 seconds per side, then transfer to a tray.
- Spoon a little extra syrup over the cookies and finish with the walnuts. Rest until fully cool before serving.
