By Melissa Clark
- Total Time
- 50 minutes
- Rating
- 4(296)
- Notes
- Read community notes
These classic Greek holiday cookies are made from a combination of olive oil and semolina. This gives them a cakelike texture that’s crumbly yet still very moist, thanks to a soak in a fragrant, honey-sweetened syrup spiked with cinnamon and orange. Traditionally topped with chopped walnuts, you can use any nuts you like; pistachios are especially pretty with their pale green edges.
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Ingredients
Yield:About 4 dozen cookies
- 2cups/400 grams granulated sugar
- 2(2-inch-long) cinnamon sticks
- 1whole clove
- 1orange
- ½cup/118 milliliters honey
- 1⅓cups/315 milliliters extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the pans, if needed
- 1 to 2large oranges
- ¼cup/25 grams confectioners’ sugar
- 2tablespoons brandy
- 1½teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼teaspoon ground clove
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3cups plus 2 tablespoons/500 grams all-purpose flour
- 1cup/110 grams fine semolina
- ½teaspoon baking soda
- ½cup toasted nuts, such as walnuts, pistachios or almonds, finely chopped
For the Syrup
For the Cookies
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (48 servings)
187 calories; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 13 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 38 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Make the syrup: In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine sugar, cinnamon sticks and clove with 1⅓ cups water. Cut orange in half and place in saucepan, flesh down. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar completely dissolves, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in honey. Set aside to cool completely, leaving the cinnamon, clove and orange in the syrup until ready to use.
Step
2
Heat the oven to 375 degrees and line 4 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick liners, or lightly grease the pans with olive oil.
Step
3
Finely grate the zest of 1 orange into a large mixing bowl. Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice into a measuring cup. If it doesn’t measure 1 cup (240 milliliters), squeeze in enough juice from the other orange. Add juice to the bowl with the zest, then mix in olive oil, sugar, brandy, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and salt.
Step
4
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, semolina and baking soda. Gradually, fold in the flour mixture into the olive oil mixture. With a wooden spoon, mix until flour is just evenly incorporated.
Step
5
Using your hands, roll dough into 1½-inch ovals or egg-shapes, and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Using the palm of your hand, lightly flatten dough. Bake until cookies are golden, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through for even baking.
Step
6
Right before the cookies are done, remove the orange, cinnamon sticks and clove from the syrup. As soon as the cookies are out of the oven, and working in batches, dunk the hot cookies in the cool syrup, gently flipping them for about 10 seconds so they can absorb the syrup. Remove cookies from the syrup using a slotted spoon and arrange them on a tray or plate. Sprinkle the center of each cookie with a generous pinch of nuts, patting them lightly so they stick to cookies.
Step
7
Once cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To prevent the cookies from sticking together, place sheets of wax or parchment paper between cookie layers.
Ratings
4
out of 5
296
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Cooking Notes
Doris
Another Greek reviewing here...these are the best ever. Using the ration of flour and semolina and olive oil works here. I used extra light olive oil and real Greek semolina. For those that say the walnut mixture doesn't stick you have to have it ready to go and sprinkle very quickly after pulling the cookies from the syrup. Also you MUST put hot cookies in cold syrup. Make the syrup the night before. I did add 6-8 cloves to my syrup. Greeks would never use one!!!
Teresa
Absolutely have to use semolina-no substitution. It will not taste the same or have the right texture.
Leslie D
A good size for each cookie is 30 grams of dough. I was amazed by how well the syrup soaks in and does not puddle outside the cookie. I did shake excess off each one as I removed from syrup. I put them on wax paper to cool. The nuts need to be finely minced and they need to be sprinkled on immediately after lifting from the syrup or they will not stick. In order to still have a syrup bath to the end there there will be extra syrup. I drizzled some on cooled cookies to get more nuts to stick.
Alex
Greek person with Celiac here - I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 GF flour and almond flour in place of the flour and semolina. The taste was exactly as I remembered, but the texture was definitely different - not bad, just softer and more tender than what I was used to eating growing up. Definitely possible to make these gluten free and still come out with a delicious result.
PennyK
This is better than my mom’s recipe. Don’t tell her.
Ann W
I am 100% Greek. 1. Cold cookie, warm syrup. It's the best way to do it. 2. After shaping, slightly press the back of a fork on the top of the cookie, as grooves are necessary to help the nuts stick. If you go to any Greek pastry sale, this is how they do it. I use my mom's recipe for these cookies, and hers is from her mother, but I may try this sometime.
Effie K
I am of Greek-descent, but born and raised in Canada. Ive tried many versions of this cookie looking for a better melomakarona recipe. I think this might be it! I ended up adding honey-syrup by another method; cold cookies hot syrup and soaked for 1 minute, flipping at 30 seconds. I also added 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. My mom approved.
Kyle
Delicious! Made the syrup the night before. Made the cookies 33-35 grams each.
Liz
These took me more than 50 minutes to make but well worth the effort. I have never made this cookie before but have certainly eaten enough of them to know this is a good recipe.
Tom
Where are we getting oranges that yield 1 cup of juice per 1 orange??
sid
Can this recipe be cut in half?
Juliana
These are so good. The only thing is, I needed more oranges than the recipe called for to get the right amount of juice so watch for that. If you use really good local honey these are incredible.
bee g
Made according to recipe and they came out beautifully. I did half a batch with toasted walnuts and half with toasted pistachios. I took the advice of other commenters and did hot cookie/cold syrup (made the syrup 2 days before). I also made slight indentations with a fork. The nuts stuck. Can’t wait to make again.
Xina
I've made this recipe exactly as written and I really enjoy it. I've never had this type of cookie before so admittedly I can't compare it. I like that it's not a super sweet cookie. Also if you have leftover syrup I recommend using it in drinks.
Nikki
Can these be frozen?
Phyllis Winkler
Is there an appropriate gluten free substitute for the semolina?
Debbie
I know honey is traditional, but has anyone tried making these with maple or date or another syrup instead of honey? I am thinking these would be good to serve to a vegan family member if I can replace the honey.
Metric Conversions
can sub in almond flour for semolina
Pamela
Has anyone tried this with a gluten free flour?
connie
For the non greek speakers out there, here is a phonetic spelling:Meh-low-ma-ka-rou-nah
rachel
This is a lovely recipe but poorly chosen for chanukah as that’s a holiday that celebrates the Maccabees’ triumph over the Greeks who had ransacked the temple—and persecuted the Jews beforehand—neccesitating the 8-night trip for more oil/the miracle we celebrate.
Susan
Not sure this will be seen but I'm curious if this recipe will work at high elevation (5000 ft) or if it will need adjustments.
Shawn N.
Wonderful cookies with a fun texture and not too sweet.
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