• Preheat oven to 375 °F
• Line your baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.

For the syrup

• Combine all of the ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil for 7 - 10 minutes until sugar is dissolved and syrup is slightly thickened. Set aside to cool
  1½ cup sugar, ¾ cup honey, ½ cup orange juice, 1½ cups water, 1 orange slice, 1 cinnamon stick

For the filling

• Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl and mix together with a fork or small whisk until well combined.
  200 grams crushed walnuts, 1 tbsp breadcrumbs, ¾ tbsp orange zest, 2 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp salt

For the cookies

• In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the olive oil, orange juice, sugar and orange zest and mix well using the paddle attachment of your mixer for 3 - 5 minutes at medium speed.
  1 cup olive oil, 1 cup orange juice, ⅓ cup sugar, 1 tsp grated orange zest
• Meanwhile, in a medium size bowl whisk together your dry ingredients until well combined. With the mixer speed set to low, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. See texture here.
  3½ cups flour, ½ cup fine semolina, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp salt

To shape isli

• Take approximately 1 tablespoon of dough (I use a mini ice cream scooper) and flatten it in the palm of your hand. Use your fingers to press it out into a thin circle, at least the size of your palm.
• Place one teaspoon of filling in the center of your dough and fold the dough over it so that the filling is completely covered. You may need to pinch the dough together to keep the filling from falling out. You can try to shape your isli into the traditional triangular shapes, or leave them as rounds. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between cookies. Use a fork to make indentations all over the top surface of the isli. Watch video here.
• Bake in middle rack of your oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown.
• Once removed from the oven, and still hot, transfer them to the pot with the syrup where they should soak for about 1 minute (or longer if you desire).
• Store isli at room temperature in a covered container for up to a week. Any longer and they can be kept in the refrigerator.