Melomakarona ~ μελομακάρονα (Christmas spice cookies)

Melomakarona ~ μελομακάρονα (Christmas spice cookies)

Everyone has their favorite cookie in this family and these are mine! I think a lot of people think of them as a honey cookie but as much as I love honey this is not what I think of when craving these little yummy goodies! They are moist and crunchy at the same time. The light citrus and sweet syrup that coats them is balance and adds all the sweet to these not sweet cookies...they are just perfect and in thinking of words to describe them...my mouth is watering!! No one makes these like Yiayia! Do not be daunted because of the process of first baking, then dipping the cookies in this perfect syrup, its well worth it and your guests will be delighted! ~ Melanie

This is one of my favorite Christmas cookies. When I make these, I like to use fresh spices and grind them myself. The flavor and fragrance is much more intense. ~ Mark

Cookie dough:

2 1/2   cups crisco oil
(* you can probably use other oils successfully but Crisco's cooking oil is very light in flavor and doesn't seem to impart any strange flavors to this simple dough...and it works great)
1/2  lb of unsalted butter
1    cups orange juice
1/4 cup brandy

1   cup sugar

1   tbsp. cinnamon
1   tbsp. ground cloves
1   tbsp. baking soda
zest of 4 oranges
1/4 cup walnuts coarsely ground
6   cups flour
2   cups farina flour "very fine"
(* in the absence of farina you can substitute in cream of wheat cereal, but it must be fine and will usually say farina somewhere on the box)

Syrup:

1 cup honey
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
3-4 whole cloves
1 slice of orange
1 tsp lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, using your fingers, combine the orange zest with the sugar – rubbing the grains as if you were playing with sand to release the orange oils into the sugar.

Using an electric mixer, beat the oil, butter and orange sugar together until well mixed. Mix in the orange juice and brandy.  In a separate bowl, mix the flour, farina, ground cloves and cinnamon, baking soda. Sift this mixture.

Slowly incorporate the flour cup by cup until the mixture forms a dough that is not too loose but not quite firm either. It will be dense and wet but not sticky. Once the flour is incorporated fully stop mixing.

To roll cookies, pinch a portion of dough off about the size of a walnut. Shape in your palms into a smooth oblong shape, almost like a small egg. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet. Shape and roll cookies until the sheet is filled.

Press the tines of a large fork in a crosshatch pattern in the center of each cookie. This will flatten them slightly in the center. The cookies should resemble lightly flattened ovals when they go in the oven.Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes until lightly browned. (The cookies will darken when submerged in syrup.)

While the cookies are baking, prepare the syrup.

In a saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, water, cinnamon, cloves, lemon juice, and slice of orange. Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon, and orange slice.Place the ground walnuts in a shallow plate or bowl next to the stove top. When the cookies come out of the oven and while they are still very warm, carefully float the cookies in the syrup and allow the cookies to absorb syrup on both sides.Using a fork or small spatula, remove the cookie from the syrup and place on a platter or plate. Press ground walnuts lightly into the tops of the cookies (syrup will help it adhere) and sprinkle lightly with ground cinnamon.he oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, using your fingers, combine the orange zest with the sugar – rubbing the grains as if you were playing with sand to release the orange oils into the sugar.
Using an electric mixer, beat the oil, butter and orange sugar together until well mixed. Mix in the orange juice and brandy.  In a separate bowl, mix the flour, farina, ground cloves and cinnamon, baking soda. Sift this mixture.

Slowly incorporate the flour cup by cup until the mixture forms a dough that is not too loose but not quite firm either. It will be dense and wet but not sticky. Once the flour is incorporated fully stop mixing.
To roll cookies, pinch a portion of dough off about the size of a walnut. Shape in your palms into a smooth oblong shape, almost like a small egg. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet. Shape and roll cookies until the sheet is filled.
Press the tines of a large fork in a crosshatch pattern in the center of each cookie. This will flatten them slightly in the center. The cookies should resemble lightly flattened ovals when they go in the oven.Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes until lightly browned. (The cookies will darken when submerged in syrup.)

While the cookies are baking, prepare the syrup.

In a saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, water, cinnamon, cloves, lemon juice, and slice of orange. Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon, and orange slice.Place the ground walnuts in a shallow plate or bowl next to the stove top. When the cookies come out of the oven and while they are still very warm, carefully float the cookies in the syrup and allow the cookies to absorb syrup on both sides.Using a fork or small spatula, remove the cookie from the syrup and place on a platter or plate. Press ground walnuts lightly into the tops of the cookies (syrup will help it adhere) and sprinkle lightly with ground cinnamon.