This finikia recipe offers a sweet way to mark National Dessert Day on Wednesday 14 October: orange-scented semolina biscuits dipped in hot honey syrup and topped with chopped walnuts.<\/strong><\/p>\n National Dessert Day falls on 14 October each year, according to National Day Calendar<\/a>. <\/p>\n In 2025, Greek City Times marked the occasion with a semolina halva recipe, the simple 1:2:3:4 pudding of oil, semolina, sugar and water.<\/p>\n This year, the choice is finikia. The finikia recipe here comes from Allrecipes, where home cooks rate it 4.6 out of 5. It makes about five dozen biscuits, so there is plenty to share with family and neighbours.<\/p>\n Finikia sit very close to melomakarona, the honey biscuits that fill Greek homes at Christmas. In fact, many cooks use the two names for the same treat<\/a>, although some families keep finikia for a slightly different, lighter version. Still, the shared flavours are clear: orange, cinnamon, cloves, honey and walnuts.<\/p>\n The name may also have deep roots. According to TasteAtlas<\/a>, some trace the biscuits to ancient Phoenicia. Greek City Times has also reported on melomakarona\u2019s place among the world\u2019s top sweets, where finikia earn a mention as a close relative.<\/p>\n The finikia recipe has two parts: a soft biscuit dough and a spiced honey syrup. Here is the full shopping list for the finikia recipe, with metric amounts in brackets.<\/p>\n For the dough, you need:<\/p>\n For the syrup and topping, you need:<\/p>\n Each biscuit comes to about 100 calories, according to the Allrecipes nutrition panel. Because the dough uses both butter and oil, the biscuits stay tender, while the semolina gives them a light crunch.<\/p>\n The finikia recipe on Allrecipes lists 45 minutes of preparation and 25 minutes of baking, plus time for the biscuits to cool. Before you start, heat the oven to 175\u00b0C (350\u00b0F) and grease two or three baking trays.<\/p>\n Put baking paper under the rack to catch the drips. Finally, store the finished biscuits in a sealed container at room temperature.<\/p>\n Reviewers on Allrecipes say the orange and cinnamon pairing is what makes this finikia recipe stand out. One cook, Nick, wrote: \u201cI followed the directions and they came out exactly like my grandmother\u2019s.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Several reviewers also shared advice on the syrup. In particular, one warned that boiling it for too long turns it into a hard, candy-like coating. Another said syrup that is too hot can make the biscuits fall apart, so his mother let them sit in it for only two or three seconds.<\/p>\n Patience helps as well, because the finikia recipe rewards a little waiting. The same cook noted that finikia taste better after a day, since the syrup soaks through evenly. Similarly, a third reviewer suggested freshly squeezed orange juice for a brighter flavour.<\/p>\n For a neater finish, one baker dipped the tops in syrup and then rolled them straight in the walnuts, so more nuts stuck. Overall, home cooks agree that the finikia recipe is worth the effort, whether for National Dessert Day or the Christmas table. Readers who want the festive cousin can try Greek City Times\u2019 traditional melomakarona, while the original Allrecipes page<\/a> lists every review and photo.<\/p>\n Source: Allrecipes<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"Finikia](\"https:\/\/greekcitytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/finikia-greek-festival-piscataway.webp)
<\/source><\/picture>A finikia recipe for National Dessert Day<\/em><\/h3>\n
What goes into finikia<\/em><\/h3>\n
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How to bake and dip them<\/em><\/h3>\n
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Tips from home cooks<\/em><\/h3>\n