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Melomakarona (Greek Christmas Cookies)

Greek melomakarona cookies are a sweet, soft dessert moistened with homemade syrup and spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 48
Calories: 161 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mediterranean , Greek

Ingredients

Syrup
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 2 3/4 cups sugar
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 orange cut in half
  • 1/2 cup honey
Dough
  • 1/2 cup semolina fine
  • 4 1/3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/3 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/3 tsp ground clove
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tbsp baking soda
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 2 oranges zest
Garnish
  • 1 1/2 cups walnuts chopped

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a saucepan add all the ingredients for the syrup (excluding the honey) and bring to a boil. Cook until sugar has dissolved, 3-4 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in honey, then set aside to cool completely.
  2. In a bowl whisk together semolina, flour and baking powder. Set aside
  3. In a larger bowl, add the orange juice, sugar, spices, and vanilla, then stir to combine. Whisk in baking soda until it dissolves and starts to foam, then whisk in water, oil, orange zest and honey to combine.
  4. Add the bowl of dry ingredients to the wet. Knead the dough using your hands until combined and the dough is smooth and slightly sticky. Do not overwork the dough.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 4 large baking trays with parchment paper. Prepare a wire rack over a rimmed baking pan. Set aside.
  6. Take a walnut sized piece of dough (approx. 2 tbsp or 1 ounce) and with your hands, form it into a smooth, oval egg shape. Place cookie dough on the baking tray and press slightly on top to flatten. Using the tines of a fork, pierce 2 times on top of cookie, stopping about half way through the dough. Repeat this step with the remaining dough.
  7. Bake honey cookies in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until the melomakarona are lightly browned. Remove from oven and use a spatula to transfer cookies to prepared wire rack. Remove cloves and cinnamon sticks from syrup, then immediately pour the syrup over the cookies to absorb the syrup. Alternatively, dip tops of each cookie by hand in the syrup for 10 seconds, then return them to wire rack. Sprinkle warm cookies with optional chopped walnuts, if desired.

Nutrition Information

Calories 161kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 29g (10%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 5g (8%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 49mg (2%) Potassium 54mg (2%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 18g (36%) Vitamin A 24IU (0%) Vitamin C 5mg (6%) Calcium 20mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 48Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 161

% Daily Value*

Calories 161kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 29g 10%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 49mg 2%
Potassium 54mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 18g 36%
Vitamin A 24IU 0%
Vitamin C 5mg 6%
Calcium 20mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.