Melomakarona, traditional Greek Christmas cookies, tend to be rich in olive oil and honey (with the beginning of their name coming from meli, the Greek word for honey). Dr. Eleni Melliou, president of the World Olive Center for Health in Athens, shared a version of her grandmother’s cookie recipe that uses super healthy high phenolic extra virgin olive oil (although other olive oil can also be used).
These can be made with a mild extra virgin olive oil or a spicier one, given the spice mix.
Here's one version of a very sweet and usually spicy traditional Greek Christmas cookie from Navarino Icons and Arianna Huffington. We see these in Greek bakeries, supermarkets, homes, offices, and shops around the holidays.
This is a low cholesterol, vegan recipe for a healthier version of a traditional Greek olive oil and orange juice cookie that is tasty, spicy, and crunchy.
This is my mother’s wonderful recipe. A fruity olive oil works very well with cinnamon in this popular, tasty cake. It makes a 9 X 13 inch rectangle or a (more impressive) three-layer cake. I double the recipe, freeze the rectangle, and eat the layer cake first. There’s always an occasion when we “need” the other cake before too long, and it freezes well.
My mother’s original version was so good that I hesitated to tamper with it, but once I gained the courage, I found that it’s even better with yogurt and olive oil than with butter and sour cream! I always make a double recipe and freeze the sheet cake. This cake is so popular, moist and chocolaty, that it comes in handy for any special occasion.
From Nancy Harmon Jenkins, author of Virgin Territory, Exploring the World of Olive Oil. The North American Olive Oil Association Blog says "Nancy recommends the use of a mild, extra-virgin olive oil that still has a fruity flavor. We promise, these brownies won't taste like olive oil. The olive oil imparts a complex flavor that you just can't get from butter."
A cake recipe featuring extra virgin olive oil from the website of Eleones Hellenic Olive Products. Note: 7.5 grams baking powder = 1.63 teaspoons—say just over 1 ½ teaspoons. And 175 degrees Celsius is approximately 350 Fahrenheit.
"Author Notes: Olive oil cake at its best has a crackling crust and an aromatic oil-rich middle, which, if it held any more moisture, would be pudding."
Maria Verivakis adds this: bake at 180 C for 40-45 minutes and check if done by placing a knife in it to see if it comes out clean. (That's 350 Fahrenheit.)
Oranges, pine nuts, raisins, dessert wine, olive oil, and rosemary are combined to create a unique cake.
This is a very tasty, simple cake that requires just one pan, where the batter is mixed, and no bowl, which makes cleanup very quick. Made with extra virgin olive oil, no butter or eggs, and just a reasonable amount of sugar, it is an excellent cake for an everyday treat. This is my young son’s favorite recipe to make and share, so the recipe is in demand.
Sugar-free apple-orange pancakes made with extra virgin olive oil (olive oil pancakes), the one food every member of my family enjoys, tasty enough to eat plain, easy to freeze.
An excellent sweet but sugarless snack for those of you trying to avoid added sugars. If you like things spicy, double the cinnamon and add ¼ teaspoon of cloves. I always use extra virgin olive oil as the oil, which works well. I prefer to use a larger, shallower pan such as a deep rectangular glass baking dish in place of the recommended loaf pan so the center gets fully baked.
This recipe from the Culinary Institute of America comes with a video, as well as a link to another recipe for Greek melomakarona cookies.
The traditional version: a great recipe from a wonderful blog full of olive-oil rich recipes from Greece.
