Melomakarona - Greek Christmas Honey Cookies with Walnuts

ingredients for 32-35 melomakarona

• 550gr all purpose flour
• 120gr semolina flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 250ml olive oil
• 250ml sesame oil
• 60gr sugar
• 50ml grappa or brandy
• 50ml orange juice
• zest from 1 orange
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 200gr walnuts ground/chopped

for the syrup

• 500gr water
• 400gr white sugar
• 250gr honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2-3 orange peels

instructions

In a bowl add flour, semolina, baking powder and baking soda.  Stir with a fork.
In a large bowl whisk olive oil, sesame oil, sugar, grappa, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon and groumd clove until sugar dissolves.
Add in flour mixture, mix gently with your hand until mixture forms a soft, dense but not sticky dough. Do not over knead.
Line a pan with parchment paper and preheat oven to 180C.

Take a small portion of dough, approximately 40gr each and shape small melomakarona in your palms. Place each one on the grater so that one side becomes sharp.

Place them in the pan. Bake for 30 minutes until lightly browned. Let them cool completely.

Pour water, sugar, honey, cinnamon stick and orange peels in a pot. Boil for 2-3 minutes, Remove from heat and let it cool.
Place all the melomakarona in a pan and pour in the hot syrup. Let them soak in the syrup for as long as it takes to absorb enough syrup.

Place melomakarona in a platter and sprinkle generously with ground walnuts.