Melomakarona (Orange Spiced Honey Cookies)

You’ll also need two 9 x 11 cookie sheets (no greasing is needed; the oil makes up for this.) This recipe makes approximately 40 pieces.

Beat oil and sugar for 10 minutes on medium speed. Add orange juice, cinnamon, cloves, orange peel, walnuts (set aside ¼ cup of chopped walnuts for final topping) to the oil and sugar mixture, gently whisking together. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda together, then gently fold the remaining ingredients together, incorporating well. Over mixing the dough can make it too dense.

Prepare cookies by rolling two tablespoonfuls of dough in your hands, creating an oval cylinder shape (like a football). Flatten slightly and place on a cookie sheet. Take a fork and create indents along the cookie surface. Place in the oven at 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes. Remove cookies from the oven and place on wire racks to cool for ½ hour prior to dipping in syrup.

While cookies are baking, begin the honey and nut syrup. Add all the ingredients (honey, water and walnuts) to a sauce pan. Place on a medium/low heat until the syrup reaches a frothy boil, lower temperature and simmer on low heat for another ten minutes, then turn off and let stand.

Once cookies have cooled, begin simmering the honey syrup on low heat. You can immediately begin adding 4 to 5 cookies, making sure they are covered, soaking for a minute to let each cookie absorb the honey throughout. Remove with a slotted spoon to allowing excess syrup to drip.

Place cookies in a layer on a large dessert dish. Finish with a light sprinkle of finely chopped walnuts. Be sure to make plenty—these disappear fast.