This being the month of Christmas, a holiday celebrated among 160 of the 195 countries that make up this planet, I’ve decided to do a monthly installment of how various countries around the world celebrate this special holiday in their kitchens and feature their signature holiday meals. Some may be sides, some may be mains, maybe a dessert or two, some may be a festive drink, or even a complete dinner. Only time will tell by which country my girls have randomly pulled out of Santa’s hat. Click here to see all of my “Christmas In…” series from years’ past.
As soon as my daughter’s pulled all the countries and Greece was one of them, I immediately texted my friend, Dino, to get some ideas. He sent me back something like 5 or so options. I ended up going with these tasty cookies. He told me he would eat as many as his mother, grandmother, and aunts could make and I can see why! These are reminiscent of gingerbread cookies, but there’s no ginger in them. However, there’s some additional delicious flavorings that you wouldn’t taste in a gingerbread cookie, like olive oil, orange, honey, and pistachio. The cookies are easy to make and a great way to celebrate the season…in fact, we ate a bunch while watching Tottenham Hotspur finish out their Festive Fixture season with a victory this morning.
Melomakarona (makes 16 cookies) from New York Times Cooking, Melissa Clark
Syrup
2 cups sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 whole clove
1 orange, halved
½ cup honey
Cookies
⅔ cup olive oil
2 oranges
1 tbsp brandy
2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar
¾ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
⅛ tsp ground clove
1.5 cups + 1 tbsp AP flour
½ cup fine ground semolina
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp fine sea salt
¼ cup toasted nuts, chopped (pistachios, almonds, or walnuts)
Combine all of the syrup ingredients, except for the honey, in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Continue to cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Off the heat whisk in the honey and let the syrup cool.
While the syrup cools, prepare the cookies and preheat the oven to 375 degrees with the racks in the upper and lower-third slots.
In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, zest of 1 orange and enough fresh orange juice to measure ½ cup, brandy, sugar, and spices.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, semolina, baking soda, and salt and briefly whisk to combine.
Whisk the bowl containing the olive oil until fully incorporated, about a minute.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet in thirds until the mixture just comes together in a ball.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment and roll out ~1.5” ovals and place on the prepared baking sheets. Then lightly press each oval to flatten.
Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through.
Once the cookies have baked, remove from the oven and place 3 into the syrup and let them sit for 10 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, flip the cookies and let them sit in the syrup for another 10 seconds. Remove the cookies from the syrup and top with some chopped nuts, lightly pressing them into the cookie and allow to cool. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
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