Vegan Melomakarona
These traditional Greek honey cookies are made vegan with olive oil and orange juice. Spiced with cinnamon and cloves, they are soaked in a fragrant syrup for a delightful holiday treat. Perfect for sharing with friends and family.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 2 hr 50 min
- Serves
- 12
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 434 kcal
Allergen information: may contain gluten, nuts, and tree nuts. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
syrup
- 250 mlwater
- 200 gsugar
- 1 pcsorange peel, from 1 orange
- 1 pcscinnamon stick
- 3 pcsclove, whole
- 120 ghoney
dough
- 200 mlolive oil
- 100 mlorange juice, freshly squeezed
- 50 gsugar
- 1 tspbaking soda
- 1 tspbaking powder
- 1 tspcinnamon, ground
- 0.5 tspclove, ground
- 500 gall-purpose flour
garnish
- 50 gwalnut, chopped
Equipment
saucepan · slotted spoon · large bowl · baking sheet · parchment paper · whisk
The method
Step by step
- 1
Prepare the syrup: Combine the water, sugar, orange peel, cinnamon stick, and whole cloves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
About 15 min
- 2
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the honey. Let the syrup cool completely; it should be cold when the cookies are baked.
About 1 hr 30 min
Cook’s note: Cooling the syrup completely prevents the cookies from getting too soggy.
- 3
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
About 10 min
- 4
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, and dough sugar until the sugar dissolves.
About 3 min
- 5
In a separate bowl, combine the baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves with the all-purpose flour.
About 2 min
- 6
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently with your hands until just combined. Do not overmix the dough, as this can make the cookies tough.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Overmixing develops gluten, which is not ideal for these tender cookies.
- 7
Take small portions of the dough, about the size of a walnut, and shape them into an oval or egg shape. You can use a fork to create a pattern on top if desired.
About 10 min
- 8
Place the shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between them.
- 9
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. They should feel firm to the touch.
About 20 min
- 10
Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, immerse them in the cold syrup, turning them to ensure they are fully coated. Let them soak for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: The hot cookies absorb the cold syrup better.
- 11
Remove the soaked cookies from the syrup using a slotted spoon and arrange them on a serving platter.
About 2 min
- 12
Garnish with chopped walnuts before serving.
About 1 min
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 433.7kcal
- Protein
- 4.9g
- Carbs
- 62.7g
- Fat
- 18.5g
- Fibre
- 1.7g
- Sugar
- 30.1g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store melomakarona in an airtight container at room temperature.
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