Melomakarona (Greek Christmas Cookies)

Method

1. 1

   For the Syrup: I n a medium saucepan, combine sugar, quartered orange, and 1 cup (250 ml) water. Add cloves and cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.

2. 2

   Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Using back of a spatula, gently press orange pieces into pan to release juices into syrup. Whisk in honey and set aside to cool.

3. 3

   For the Cookies: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, fine semolina flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together olive or sunflower oil, orange zest, orange juice, and sugar.

4. 4

   Add wet mixture into dry mixture, and use a flexible spatula to gently fold until just combined and no floury bits remain.

5. 5

   Set two parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheets on work surface. Using hands, shape the dough into ping-pong-sized balls, and arrange all of them in 5 rows of 3 on each sheet (15 cookies per sheet). Shape balls into oblong shapes (rough ovals) approximately 1.5 to 2 inches long, offset from each other.

6. 6

   After all cookies are oblong, use the back of a fork to press indentations of fork tongs into upper and lower middle portions of each cookie, in same direction. Repeat on all cookies.

7. 7

   Bake cookies, one sheet tray at a time, until golden brown and set, 22 to 25 minutes.

8. 8

   While cookies bake, prepare a syrup-dunking station: Set a clean parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet, saucepan with cooled syrup, and a slotted spoon or slotted spatula side by side. When cookies are baked, place rimmed baking sheet with cookies next to syrup saucepan. Be mindful of the hot rimmed baking sheets. Using the slotted spoon or spatula, dunk still-hot cookies into cooled syrup in batches of 4 or 5 at a time, gently flipping or submerging each to ensure they are fully dunked. Let cookies rest in syrup for 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer to the parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Repeat until all cookies are dunked in syrup.

9. 9

   Top each cookie with walnuts and sesame seeds (if using). Let cool for an additional 15 minutes. Serve or let cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days.

Nutrition

calories

301 kcal

fatContent

16 g

fiberContent

2 g

sugarContent

7 g

sodiumContent

71 mg

proteinContent

5 g

cholesterolContent

0 mg

carbohydrateContent

36 g

saturatedFatContent

2 g

unsaturatedFatContent

0 g

Indicative values from the source, for the original recipe.

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