Now that I have you attention, serenading you the lyrics to Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me”, recreated as the cover song for my all time favorite, dangerously – sticky sweet — melt in your mouth Greek cookies, Melomakarona (Orange Spiced Honey Cookies).

I would like to dedicate more thank you love to Yia Yia Bessie for graciously spoiling us up with her wonderful family recipes while visiting us.  And for also cooking heroic Olympic spreads filled with amazing meals that would satisfy any of the Greek gods.

Yia Yia Bessie would have preferred I picked a Greek rembetiko style song strummed on a bouzouki.  Rembetika are classic old folk songs beautifully written about life, sorrow and unrequited love.  However our music association differs from one to the other, these cookies for now and always will remain in my book – Sticky -Sweet!

Melomakarona (Orange Spiced Honey Cookies)

Here’s what you’ll need…   Two 9 x 11 Cookie sheets (no greasing is needed; the oil makes up for this.)  Oven Temp: 350 degrees, Bake time: 20 minutes.  This recipe makes approximately 40 pieces.

Cookie Dough:

5 – Cups of Flour

2 – Cups of Oil (Vegetable or Olive Oil)

1 – Cup Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

¾  – Cup Chopped Walnuts (set aside ¼ cup for final topping)

1 ½ – Tablespoon of fresh Orange Peel

¼ – Cup Sugar

1 – Teaspoon Baking Soda

2 – Teaspoon Baking Powder

½ – Teaspoon of Cloves

½ – Teaspoon of Cinnamon

Topping:

1 – 16oz jar of Honey

1 – Cup of Water

¼ – Cup of finely chopped Walnuts

Beat oil and sugar for 10 minutes on medium speed.  Add orange juice, cinnamon, glove, orange peel, walnuts (set aside ¼ cup of chopped walnuts for final topping,) and add to oil and sugar mixture gently whisking together.  In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda together, then gently fold the remaining ingredients together incorporating well.

Over mixing the dough can make it too dense.  Prepare cookies by rolling two tablespoons of dough in your hands crating a oval cylinder (football) shape, flatten slightly and place on cookie sheet.  Take a fork and create indents along the cookie surface.  Place in oven at 350 degrees and bake for 20 minutes.   Remove cookies from oven and place on wire rack to cool for ½ hour prior to dipping in syrup.

While cookies are baking begin the honey & nut syrup.  Add all the ingredients (honey, water and walnuts) to a sauce pan.  Place on a medium/low heat until the syrup reaches a frothy boil, lower temperature and simmer on low heat for another ten minutes, then turn off and let stand.

Once cookies have cooled, begin simmering the honey syrup on low heat.  You can immediately begin adding 4 to 5 making sure they are covered, soaking for a minute each absorbing the honey throughout.  Remove with a slotted spoon to allowing access syrup to drip.  Place cookies on large dessert dish layering.  Finish with a light sprinkle of finely chopped walnuts.