I absolutely adore Greek Cookies. One of my favorite Greek Cookies are the Finikia / Melomakarona cookies that contain a combination of flavors you won't find in typical American cookies. This recipe combines orange with ground cloves and cinnamon for the shortbread cookie base and then douses the cookies in a cinnamon honey syrup with a hint of lemon. Oh my! Often times, these cookies are topped with chopped walnuts and more cinnamon too. Yum, yum, yum. Credit to Allrecipes and OMG Food for inspiration and tips.
Want more Greek cookie deliciousness? Try out my Pecan / Walnut Kourabiedes recipe!
For the cookie:
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Grated orange zest from 1 full orange
1/2 cup oil
2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 and a 1/2 cups semolina (you can find this in the bulk foods section at Winco)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup orange juice
For the syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
Optional toppings: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and additional ground cinnamon
Following these instructions exactly will provide the best results.
1. With an electric hand mixer, cream the butter, powdered sugar, oil, and orange zest. Beat until light and fluffy. This will take about 5 minutes.
2. Add the baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
3. Mix in the semolina. Then, mix in the orange juice. Lastly, stir in the flour. The dough will be crumbly. Once thoroughly mixed, knead the dough for about 5 minutes. The dough will be very firm.
4. Roll a heaping tablespoon amount of dough into a ball (or oval if you so choose). Place cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. The cookies should be golden in color. Cool on baking sheets until the cookies are room temperature.
6. While the cookies are cooling, make the syrup by combining the water, sugar, honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan over high heat. Let the solution boil for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, keep syrup on low to medium heat.
7. Take a couple of cookies at a time and dunk in the still boiling syrup mixture. Let the bottom side soak for about 1 minute before flipping the top side into the syrup for another minute. Remove the cookie from the syrup with a fork or slotted spatula. Place the cookie on a platter covered with parchment paper or wax paper. Repeat until all cookies have been soaked in the syrup. Optional: sprinkle chopped walnuts and cinnamon on the tops of the cookies immediately after removing cookies from syrup.
Grated orange zest from 1 full orange
1/2 cup oil
2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 and a 1/2 cups semolina (you can find this in the bulk foods section at Winco)
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup orange juice
For the syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
Optional toppings: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts and additional ground cinnamon
Instructions:
Following these instructions exactly will provide the best results.
1. With an electric hand mixer, cream the butter, powdered sugar, oil, and orange zest. Beat until light and fluffy. This will take about 5 minutes.
2. Add the baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
3. Mix in the semolina. Then, mix in the orange juice. Lastly, stir in the flour. The dough will be crumbly. Once thoroughly mixed, knead the dough for about 5 minutes. The dough will be very firm.
4. Roll a heaping tablespoon amount of dough into a ball (or oval if you so choose). Place cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. The cookies should be golden in color. Cool on baking sheets until the cookies are room temperature.
6. While the cookies are cooling, make the syrup by combining the water, sugar, honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan over high heat. Let the solution boil for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, keep syrup on low to medium heat.
7. Take a couple of cookies at a time and dunk in the still boiling syrup mixture. Let the bottom side soak for about 1 minute before flipping the top side into the syrup for another minute. Remove the cookie from the syrup with a fork or slotted spatula. Place the cookie on a platter covered with parchment paper or wax paper. Repeat until all cookies have been soaked in the syrup. Optional: sprinkle chopped walnuts and cinnamon on the tops of the cookies immediately after removing cookies from syrup.
8. Wait for the cookies to soak the syrup for at least an hour before serving. This allows the cookies to really soak in the flavor.
9. Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container. These cookies will stay fresh for a few weeks.
#halahbakes
#halahbakes
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