Greek Honey Cookies (Melomakarona)

Greekgal's Note:

This cookie has a texture like no other cookie.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 40 cookies

• 1 cup softened unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups light vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 large oranges, juice of (strained)
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 cups all-purpose flour (do not use self-rising, it has salt)
• 3/4 cup very finely chopped english walnuts
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, mixed with the nuts

syrup

• 1 1/2 cups honey
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. Cream butter and oil until completely mixed, add confectioner's sugar, add orange juice slowly, add vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, add 2 cups flour and beat, add two more cups flour, and then add the rest. You may not need all of the flour, just don't let it get too thick, knead the dough lightly in the bowl.
2. Using teaspoon, scoop out some of the dough and roll in your palms and flatten slightly in your hands. Bake at 350 for 25 minute and cool.
3. Boil syrup ingredients for 5 minute in LARGE saucepan, as it will foam up, then dip each cake (I do several at one time) in the saucepan, turning a couple of times with a wooden spoon, place the cookies on waxed paper and sprinkle with walnut and cinnamon mixture. Cool completely before storing. Best stored in tins. These cookies will keep in tins for a couple of months, but I can't stay out of them long enough to last that long!

Reviews

[LisaSharon]

This was awesome. I did make a couple of deliberate and inadvertant changes. I substituted 1/2 cup applesauce for the 1/2 cup oil. I only used 5 cups flour and read the recipe wrong in that I thought the nuts were to do in the cookie dough. This turned out wonderful though. When I was soaking them in the honey mixture, I tried to let them soak to absorb some of the honey mixture. Then to avoid stickiness, I put the cookies on cookie racks with wax paper under the cookie racks so they could dry. I loved this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing.

[Lori (Chef #630266)]

the cookies were delicious, but stuck to the wax paper and the plate that I later transferred them to. They disintegrated when we tried to get them off the plate, so perhaps it was "chef" error on our part. The taste could not be beat!

[Chef #683101]

Everyone loved them at my cookie exchange party! Next time I need not leave them in the honey as long. Thanks for a great recipe!