Melomakarona

Melomakarona (Greek Honey-Soaked Christmas Cookies)

Soft, olive oil and orange-scented Christmas cookies soaked in a spiced honey syrup and topped with crushed walnuts. A beloved holiday tradition across Greece, served throughout the twelve days of Christmas.

Prep

30 min

Cook

25 min

Total

55 min

Serves

Makes about 30 cookies

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil, good quality, Greek if possible
• •100 ml (scant ½ cup) sunflower or mild vegetable oil
• •100 ml (scant ½ cup) fresh orange juice, from 2 oranges
• •60 ml (¼ cup) freshly grated orange zest, from 3–4 unwaxed oranges
• •100 g (½ cup) caster sugar
• •1 tsp baking powder
• •1 tsp ground cinnamon, for the dough
• •ground cloves, ½
• •fine sea salt, ¼
• •80 g (⅓ cup) semolina flour, gives the classic crumbly-soft texture
• •300 g (1 cup) Greek thyme honey, or other good-quality honey
• •150 g (¾ cup) caster sugar, for the syrup
• •120 ml (½ cup) water, for the syrup
• •2 tbsp lemon juice
• •2 whole cinnamon sticks
• •4 whole whole cloves
• •1 whole bay leaf, optional, traditional
• •150 g (1¼ cups) walnut halves, finely chopped, for topping

Steps

1. 1 Make the syrup first so it can cool completely: combine the honey, sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and bay leaf in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 4–5 minutes. Remove from heat, discard the spices and bay leaf, and let it cool to room temperature. Cold syrup on hot cookies is essential for the texture.
2. 2 In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, semolina, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
3. 3 In a separate bowl, whisk the olive oil, sunflower oil, orange juice, orange zest, and sugar until just combined — the sugar will not fully dissolve, and that's fine.
4. 4 Pour the wet mixture into the dry and bring together with a wooden spoon, then knead gently with your hands for 2–3 minutes until a soft, slightly oily dough forms. Do not overwork it; the dough should be soft and a little sticky. If too wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time; if too dry, a splash of orange juice.
5. 5 Cover and let the dough rest for 15–20 minutes so the semolina can absorb moisture.
6. 6 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two baking sheets with parchment.
7. 7 Take a piece of dough about 35 g (a generous tablespoon) and shape it into an oval about 5 cm long. Press gently on the back with a fork to create the traditional ridged pattern, or shape with your hands into a small football shape. Place on the prepared sheets, leaving 3 cm between cookies.
8. 8 Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the cookies are deeply golden brown on the bottom and lightly golden on top. They should feel set but still soft — they will firm up as they soak.
9. 9 Immediately transfer the hot cookies one by one into the cooled honey syrup, using a slotted spoon. Let each soak for 20–30 seconds, turning once, until saturated but not falling apart. Transfer to a wire rack set over a tray to catch drips.
10. 10 Once drained, arrange the soaked cookies on a serving platter and sprinkle generously with the finely chopped walnuts, pressing lightly so they adhere. Drizzle with a little extra honey if you like.
11. 11 Store in an airtight container at room temperature; the cookies keep for 2–3 weeks and the flavor deepens after a day or two. Serve at room temperature with coffee or a sweet dessert wine such as Mavrodaphne.