Melomakarona are traditional Greek Christmas spiced cookies that are moist, syrupy and extremely flavoursome.

Here is our family recipe, which not only tastes great but will leave your kitchen smelling amazing!

Happy Baking!

Ingredients 

2 x cups olive oil

1 x cup sugar

1 x cup fresh orange juice

zest of 1 orange

1 x tablespoon vanilla sugar

4 x tablespoons Cognac

1 x teaspoon baking powder

1 x teaspoon baking soda

2 x tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 x tablespoon ground cloves

1 x kilos self-raising flour

150 grams fine semolina

chopped walnuts for garnishing

For syrup 

3 x cups sugar

1 x cup honey

2.5 x cups water

1  x cinnamon stick

Method

– In a large bowl add sugar and oil and whisk for about 7 minutes.
– In a small bowl add orange juice, Cognac, baking soda, baking powder and mix well.
– Pour the juice into sugar mixture and also add orange zest, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla sugar and semolina and whisk till well combined
– Slowly add in flour and mix together.
– Knead the dough with your hands until the dough is soft and smooth.
– Begin making melomakarona into oblong shapes and place each piece on baking paper-lined trays.
– Place in 180 degrees celsius (preheated) oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until melomakarona are golden brown.
– In the meantime to make the syrup add all ingredients into a saucepan and boil for 6 minutes.
– When melomakarona come out of the oven, place them in cooled syrup flipping them with a slotted spoon to absorb the syrup.
– Place cookies on a serving platter and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

Recipe & Images by IN+SIGHTS GREECE © (Copyright)