MELOMAKARONA

Melomakarona image

Growing up in Cyprus, we would see this melomakarona cookie everywhere during the holidays. Every year my mother, Thelma, would make plate after plate of these all Christmas long. It's just not the holidays without them. -Paris Paraskeva, San Francisco, California

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Desserts

Time 40m

Yield 4-1/2 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 14

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Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3/4 cup honey
COOKIES:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups olive oil
1/2 cup Cognac
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
7-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons grated orange zest
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup ground toasted walnuts

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a saucepan, combine sugar, water and honey; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Cool completely. , Meanwhile, for cookies, in a large bowl, beat confectioners' sugar and oil until blended. Beat in Cognac, orange juice and honey. In another bowl, whisk flour, orange zest, baking powder and cinnamon; gradually beat into sugar mixture., Shape tablespoons of dough into 1-in.-thick ovals. Place 1 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 20-25 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks., Float and turn warm cookies in syrup about 10 seconds; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; sprinkle with walnuts. Let stand until set. Store between pieces of waxed paper in airtight containers.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 172 calories, Fat 9g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 27mg sodium, Carbohydrate 20g carbohydrate (7g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 2g protein.