Greek Christmas Honey Cookies “Melomakarona”
These traditional Greek Christmas cookies are moist and beautifully spiced! They are soaked in honey syrup and served with walnuts and sprinkled cinnamon.
Welcoming Christmas Season!
While writing this post I fell home sick and happy at the same time. Making melomakarona with my mother is one of my most cherished childhood memories. Festive days call for festive food and these Christmas cookies are the best way to start. We would spend hours in the kitchen baking dozens of these Greek Christmas honey cookies to gift to our family and friends. Believe me when I tell you that these cookies would never last till Christmas day in our house. I snacked on Melamakarona all day long, and I do this till date (oops!). Greeks have literally many sweet treats for major holidays (Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Easter) and Melomakarona is one of the treats you will find in every Greek home!
What do Melomakarona mean?
The Melomakarono (Greek: Mελομακάρονο plural: Mελομακάρονα, Melomakarona) is an egg-shaped Greek dessert made mainly from flour, olive oil and honey. Historically, melomakarona are thought to be derived from the ancient and medieval makaria, which were eaten during funerals. Gradual changes in the recipe and the addition of dipping them in honey led to melomakarona which etymologically is derived from the Greek word for honey “meli” and “makaria”.
How to Make Greek Christmas Cookies “Melomakarona”
A few tips for success:
Do not overwork the dough: This cookie recipe does not resemble any of the usual cookie recipes. That been said, it is very important to follow the steps as shown on the recipe card below. More specifically, for these Christmas cookies we do not use a mixer to combine the ingredients. As an oil based cookie, mixing the dough in a mixer will result in the oil to separate from the mixture. 10 seconds of mixing, using your hands are enough to get the consistency we seek.
Make the dough and bake the cookies on the same day: Unlike other recipes, the dough cannot be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator. This will result in the oil to separate from the dough and the mixture will curdle. Moreover, the cookies will not turn out crispy.
Let the cookies soak in the syrup: Most of the recipes for Melomakarona call for cold syrup on hot cookies. However, my grandma used to add the hot syrup on warm cookies. Likewise, I follow the same method as I find that the cookies absorb only as much syrup needed to make them moist but not overly syrupy.
Step by step photos for the best Greek Christmas Honey Cookies “Melomakarona”
To begin with, sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add the ground cinnamon, ground cloves and salt and set aside.
Afterwards, pour the olive oil, sugar, beer, orange juice, orange zest in a big bowl and whisk well.
Moving forward, add half of the flour mixture in the wet ingredients and stir gently with a wooden spoon. Stir just until the flour is incorporated. Lastly, add the remaining flour mixture. Use your hand to mix the dough for the Christmas cookies for 10 seconds. Be careful not to overwork the dough because it will split.
After that, preheat the oven to 375 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Pinch a portion of the dough ( around 35 grams), roll and press the dough into oval shape using your palms. Secondly, prick the top of the cookie using a box grater ( finely grate side). Now, add the cookie in the lined baking sheet. Repeat the same process for the remaining dough.
Bake one tray at a time for 25 minutes or till the cookies are lightly brown and crispy.
For the Syrup:
While baking the first batch of Christmas cookies prepare the syrup. In a saucepan over medium heat add the water, sugar and honey and bring to boil. Using a spoon, remove the excess foam the boiling honey will produce and discard. Boil for 5 minutes till the sugar dissolves. When done, remove the syrup from the heat. Line the warm baked cookies in a baking sheet and pour over the hot syrup. In conclusion, sprinkle with cinnamon and chopped walnuts.
Let the cookies completely cool down and soak the syrup for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Enjoy alone or with a cup of coffee.
Every bite of melomakarono screams Christmas! Not to mention that these Christmas cookies are egg-free, dairy-free and vegetarian. Give this recipe a try and your family and friends will thank you. You can easily double the recipe and gift these delicious aromatic cookies to your favorite people! After all, who doesn’t love homemade Christmas cookies?
Greek Christmas Honey Cookies “Melomakarona”
Ingredients
Melomakarona
- 4 cups All-purpose Flour Sifted
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp Olive Oil Extra Virgin
- 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 cup Beer With foam removed
- 1/2 cup Orange Juice Freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp Orange Zest
For the Syrup
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup Honey
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 2 slices Orange Rind
To Garnish
- Chopped Walnuts
- Ground Cinnamon
Instructions
Melomakarona
- In a bowl sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add the ground cinnamon, ground cloves and salt and set aside.
- In a big bowl pour the olive oil, sugar, beer, orange juice, orange zest and whisk well.
- Add half of the flour mixture in the wet ingredients and stir gently with a wooden spoon. Stir just until the flour is incorporated.
- Add the remaining flour mixture. Use your hand to mix the dough for 10 seconds. Be careful not to overwork the dough because it will split.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Pinch a portion of the dough ( around 35 grams), roll and press the dough into oval shape using your palms.
- Prick the top of the cookie using a box grater (finely grate side) or a fork.
- Add the cookie in the lined baking sheet. Repeat the same process for the remaining dough.
- Bake one tray at a time for 25 minutes or till the cookies are lightly brown and crispy.
For the Syrup
- While baking the first batch of cookies prepare the syrup.
- In a saucepan over medium heat add the water, sugar and honey and bring to boil. Using a spoon remove the excess foam and discard.
- Boil for 5 minutes till the sugar dissolves.
- Remove from the heat.
- Line the warm baked cookies in a baking sheet and pour over the hot syrup.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon and chopped walnuts.
- Let the cookies completely cool down and soak the syrup for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Enjoy alone or with a cup of coffee.
Notes
- Pour the beer in a glass and let the foam dissolved before you add it to the mixture.
- Use fresh orange juice for the best flavor.
- It is crucial not to overwork the dough because the oil will separate from the mixture and the cookies will not turn out crispy.
- The dough can not be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator like most of cookie doughs. This will result in the oil to separate from the dough and the mixture will curdle.
- The dough should be soft but hold its shape. Try rolling some of the dough into a ball to check the consistency. If it is really wet add some flour. Be careful not to add too much flour as this will make the cookies hard. I always have success using the exact amount of flour given in the recipe so I have never altered it so far.
- Note that all ovens bake differently, so yours may take a little less or a little more time to bake.
- Most of the recipes for Melomakarona call for cold syrup on hot cookies. However, when you add the hot syrup on warm cookies, they absorb only as much syrup needed to make them moist but not overly syrupy.
- The cookies will darken when soaked in the syrup.
- Melomakarona can be stored in room temperature at air tight containers for up to two weeks. Do not refrigerate them as they will harden.
- Have any questions about the recipe or want to ask for substitutions? Contact me and I will be happy to help!
Nutrition
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