melomakarona (Greek traditional honey cookies for Christmas)

Ingredients

• 2 cups olive or vegetable oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 cups all purpose flour (about)
• 1,5 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon clove powder

for the syrup

• 1,5 cup water
• 1,5 cup honey
• 1,5 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions
In a big bowl mix oil, sugar, orange juice, brandy, walnuts, cinnamon, clove, orange zest and baking powder.
Add flour little by little and knead lightly until you have a moderate/soft dough.
Preheat the oven to 350° F or 175° C.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (usually for this amount of dough 2 baking sheets needed).
Take a small amount of dough (about the size of a big walnut) and shape it into a small like half moon or oval cookie (about 2,5 inches - 6 cm long, 1 inch - 2,5 cm wide and 3/4 inch - 1,5 cm high).
Place the cookies on the baking sheet not too close to each other, because they are going to increase their volume.
Bake for about 25' until golden brown.
Let melomakarona cool.
In a small saucepan add honey, sugar, water, lemon juice and boil over low/medium heat for 8'.
During the boiling of the syrup remove any foam that usually honey produces.
Pour the hot syrup spoonful by spoonful over melomakarona.
Turn them upside down to allow them absorb syrup both sides.

enjoy