Description
Experience the ultimate Greek holiday tradition with these soft, citrus-infused cookies that are drenched in a spiced honey syrup. Loaded with warm notes of cinnamon and cloves and topped with a mountain of crushed walnuts, these treats perfectly bridge the gap between a cookie and a cake.
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar (for syrup)
- 1 1/2 cups water (for syrup)
- 2 cinnamon sticks (for syrup)
- 3-4 whole cloves (for syrup)
- 1 orange, halved (for syrup)
- 1/2 cup honey (for syrup)
- 3 cups soft flour
- 1 cup fine semolina
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 tbsp cognac
- 1/2 cup sugar (for dough)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp honey (for dough)
- Zest of 2 oranges
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (for topping)
Instructions
- Prepare the syrup by combining sugar, water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and the halved orange in a pot; boil for 3-4 minutes, remove from heat, stir in the honey, and allow to cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the soft flour, fine semolina, and baking powder until well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the orange juice, cognac, sugar, and ground spices, then whisk in the baking soda for 10 seconds until the mixture foams up.
- Add the water, olive oil, vegetable oil, honey, and orange zest to the foaming mixture and whisk briefly to combine.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and knead by hand just until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky, being careful not to overwork it.
- Preheat your oven to 180C (356F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Shape 30g portions of dough into oblong egg shapes and place them on the tray; press lightly with a fork and poke holes across the top.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown, then immediately drop the hot cookies into the cold syrup for 10-20 seconds using a slotted spoon.
- Transfer the soaked cookies to a platter and immediately top with a generous amount of chopped walnuts while the syrup is still sticky.
Notes
To ensure the cookies absorb the maximum amount of honey, it is vital that the syrup is chilled or room temperature while the cookies are still piping hot from the oven. If the dough feels too oily, let it rest for five minutes to allow the semolina to hydrate before shaping. For a more intense citrus flavor, rub the orange zest into the sugar before mixing it into the wet ingredients.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek