• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Greek Foodie logo

  • MY GREEK PANTRY
  • ABOUT
    • Privacy Policy
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Hello!
  • My Greek Pantry
  • Recipe Index
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Eat Like A Greek » Melomakarona - Greek Christmas Honey Cookies

    Melomakarona - Greek Christmas Honey Cookies

    Last updated November 24, 2021. Originally posted November 5, 2020 By Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves. 28 Comments.

    Share
    Pin
    Share
    Email
    Tweet
    Yum
    WhatsApp
    539 Shares
    Go to Recipe Print Recipe

    Melomakarona - Greek honey cookies are a delicious Christmas dessert. With orange zest, cinnamon, and olive oil, they are dipped in a honey syrup and sprinkled with crushed walnuts; they are an irresistible sweet treat.

    If you love Greek desserts and sweets, you will also love these Christmas phyllo triangles with an almond filling, the heavenly tsoureki bread and portokalopita, a syrupy orange phyllo cake.

    A plate with melomakarona cookies.

    What is a melomakarono?

    The melomakarono is an egg-shaped Greek dessert cookie made mainly from flour, olive oil, and honey. They are a traditional dessert prepared primarily during the Christmas holiday season.

    They are impossible to resist; no one I know has only one melomakarono in one sitting. One batch lasts about 3 days during the holiday season in our house, so I usually make a fresh batch of these honey cookies every week or so.

    How to make these cookies

    It is pretty easy to make these Greek honey cookies.

    Typical ingredients are flour or semolina, sugar, orange zest, fresh juice, cinnamon, and olive oil. Immediately after baking, melomakarona are immersed for a few seconds in cold syrup made of honey, sugar, and water. In the end, they are decorated with chopped walnuts and drizzled honey on top. I make my melomakarona with all-purpose flour.

    Ingredients

    • All-purpose flour
    • Cinnamon, stick & ground
    • Orange zest and orange juice
    • Ground cloves
    • Walnuts 
    • Honey
    • Sugar
    • Baking powder
    • Baking soda
    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • Sunflower oil
    Making syrup and beating ingredients in a mixer to make greek cookies.

    Make the syrup first. Put the water, sugar, and cinnamon sticks in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add the honey, stir and simmer for 10 min. Leave pot aside to cool. (Image 1)

    Pour all the oils into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix oils slowly. (Image 2)

    Beating ingredients in a mixer to make cookies.

    Add the flour gradually. Then add the cinnamon, baking powder, orange zest, sugar, orange juice, and baking soda. Mix all ingredients well. (Images 3+4)

    Creating a texture on Greek honey cookies. Immersing cookies in syrup and letting them drain.

    Using your hands, shape each melomakarono into an oval shape, about 2 inches long each.

    A hand holding a cookie next to a cheese grater.

    Place cookies on the baking sheets and bake for about 20 minutes in a 400 F preheated oven until they are crunchy and golden brown.

    Once cookies are out of the oven, soak them into the cold syrup for 10-15 seconds. Place them on a wire rack to drain. (Image 6)

    Drizzle melomakarona with honey and chopped walnuts.

    Honey cookies on a wire rack.

    Chocolate honey cookies

    Are you a big fan of chocolate and can't do without it? You can cover these Greek cookies with chocolate. They are equally delicious and will satisfy all chocolate fans.

    When the cookies are on the wire rack, you can pour melted chocolate over them and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

    To make the chocolate you will need 3.5 oz baking chocolate and 1 tablespoon seed oil.

    1. Chop and place chocolate and oil in a microwave-safe bowl—microwave for 1 minute at 70% of the power.
    2. Remove and mix well to dissolve and melt the chocolate.
    3. Repeat, this time for 10-15 seconds, and mix well to dissolve any chocolate pieces.

    Be cautious; melting chocolate in the microwave requires continuous attention since the melting time depends on its quantity, how much cocoa butter it contains, and how strong your microwave oven is. I suggest gradually melt the chocolate and stir in between. If your oven does not have a rotary motion, avoid it and melt the chocolate with the bain-marie method.

    A plate with two honey cookies and a serving platter with a pile of them in the back.

    Tips and tricks

    • Melomakarona will be even better the next day. The syrupy cookies easily absorb moisture from a humid environment and soften or, the opposite, dry in a dry air environment. Keep them stored in an airtight container or protect your platter with cling film.
    • You can also roll the cookie mixture using a rolling pin about half-inch thick and cut the cookies with a cookie cutter.
    • Melomakarona will keep at room temperature for up to a month.
    • You can also freeze Greek honey cookies. Store them in a freezer appropriate container in layers. Protect each layer with some parchment paper so cookies won't stick to each other. They keep for up to a year in the freezer.

    You may also like:

    • Fried Egg Sandwich
    • Amazing Tomato Confit With Herbs
    • Quick Pumpkin Stew with Tortellini
    • Tomato Chicken Tortellini Soup

    Check out my Greek pantry staples 

    Cooked this? Rate this recipe! You can also leave a comment below. I love hearing from you!

    WANT TO EAT LIKE A GREEK? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

    A pile of Greek honey cookies-melomakarona

    Melomakarona - Greek Honey Cookies

    by Jenny | The Greek Foodie
    Melomakarona - Greek honey cookies are a delicious Christmas dessert. With orange zest, cinnamon, and olive oil, they are dipped in a honey syrup and sprinkled with crushed walnuts, they are an irresistible sweet treat.
    5 from 12 votes
    Print Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Greek
    Servings 40
    Calories 272 kcal

    Equipment

    • Medium saucepan
    • Mixer (hand mixer or tabletop)
    • Rimmed baking sheet
    • a citrus squeezer

    Ingredients
      

    • 8½ oz extra virgin olive oil
    • 8½ oz sunflower oil
    • 1½ tsp cinnamon
    • 2 lb all purpose flour
    • 7 oz sugar
    • 2 tablespoons baking powder
    • 1 tablespoon orange zest
    • 5½ oz fresh orange juice
    • 1 tablespoon baking soda
    • ⅓ teaspoon ground cloves
    • walnuts finelly chopped

    For the syrup

    • 14 oz water
    • 14 oz sugar
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • 10½ oz honey

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 410 F
    • Line a couple of large baking sheets with parchment paper.

    Make the syrup

    • Put the water, sugar, and cinnamon sticks in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add the honey, stir and simmer for 10 min. Leave pot aside to cool.

    Make the cookies

    • Pour all the oils into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment , mix oils slowly. Add the flour gradually, then add the cinnamon, baking powder, orange zest, sugar, orange juice, and baking soda.
      Mix all ingredients well.
    • Using your hands, shape the melomakarona into small oval shapes, about 2 inches long each.
      To achieve a textured look on the top, press each cookie on the side of a grater. You can also create a texture using a fork.
      Place cookies on the baking sheets and bake for about 15 minutes, until they are crunchy and dark golden brown.
      Once cookies are out of the oven, soak them into the cold syrup for 10 seconds.
      Place them on a wire rack to drain.
    • Drizzle melomakarona with honey and chopped walnuts. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Do not overwork the cookie mix for long, keep it short and sweet :-). Overworking will affect the texture of the mix, it will become harder to shape and the taste will be too "floury". It will affect how they will soak in the syrup.
    • When you shape the cookies, again don't overwork. You want them to be soft and oily, easy to mold like pay dough.
    • The melomakarono should always be hot and the syrup cold when you immerse them in. Keep them in the syrup for 10-15 seconds then drain on a wire rack.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 272kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 147mgPotassium: 36mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 8IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @thegreekfoodie__ or tag #thegreekfoodie__
    Melomakarona - Greek Christmas Honey CookiesMelomakarona - Greek Christmas Honey CookiesMelomakarona - Greek Christmas Honey Cookies
    Share
    Pin
    Share
    Email
    Tweet
    Yum
    WhatsApp
    539 Shares
    « Pastitsio - Greek Lasagna
    Easy Greek Cheese pie - Tiropita »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. FOODHEAL says

      November 11, 2020 at 1:24 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for making me travel for a while. With orange, lemon, and cinnamon these cookies must be very tasty

      Reply
      • Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves says

        November 15, 2020 at 4:36 pm

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    2. Ashley says

      November 11, 2020 at 11:37 pm

      5 stars
      The flavors in these cookies sound divine! I need to try this recipe. 🙂

      Reply
    3. veenaazmanov says

      November 12, 2020 at 11:16 pm

      5 stars
      Flavorful and mouth melting. Looks delicious and rich too.

      Reply
      • Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves says

        November 15, 2020 at 4:35 pm

        Thank you, Veena!

        Reply
    4. Tracy says

      November 15, 2020 at 3:31 am

      5 stars
      I had to cut my girls off of these, they loved them SO MUCH. Thank you for another amazing recipe. We love these cookies so much!

      Reply
      • Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves says

        November 15, 2020 at 4:34 pm

        Hi Tracy!
        So happy you all liked them.
        Thank you, x Jenny

        Reply
    5. Paula Montenegro says

      November 15, 2020 at 4:49 am

      5 stars
      These sound like the perfect new cookie for my holiday tray! I love that they have honey, the sound so moist and tempting. And would love to try them with semolina also. Do you know what amount of flour can I substitute? Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves says

        November 15, 2020 at 4:34 pm

        Hi Paula!
        So happy you liked them!
        To make them with semolina flour, you can mix 6 cups flour (750 g - 1.65 lb) with 2 cups semolina (250 g - 8.8 oz). I will add a note to the recipe.
        Thanks so much!
        x Jenny

        Reply
    6. Ramona says

      November 15, 2020 at 3:52 pm

      5 stars
      WOW, as soon as I saw this I knew I had to try it! I'm drooling from the picture and I pinned this recipe because it looks amazing! I cant wait to make these cookies, thank you for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
    7. Gunjan says

      November 15, 2020 at 7:46 pm

      5 stars
      This is absolutely a new recipe for me, totally new concept. I must try this as they sounds super delicious.

      Reply
      • Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves says

        November 20, 2020 at 5:15 pm

        They are really good! Thanks so much, Gunjan!

        Reply
    8. Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli says

      November 15, 2020 at 7:49 pm

      5 stars
      One more cookie recipe to add to the Christmas baking! These Greek honey cookies have everything we love in a cookie, we might even try adding the chocolate on top!

      Reply
      • Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves says

        November 20, 2020 at 5:15 pm

        They are great with chocolate! Thanks so much, Loreto and Nicoletta!

        Reply
    9. Laura Arteaga says

      November 16, 2020 at 1:19 am

      5 stars
      Wow! Never heard of them but reading your recipe made my mouth watery so I think that we need to try this recipe for this Christmas time! Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves says

        November 20, 2020 at 5:14 pm

        Thanks so much, Laura! They are really great cookies, you won't be disappointed. x Jenny

        Reply
    10. Connie says

      November 16, 2020 at 1:43 am

      Love the flavors here! I'm always down for a new cookie and this one is it. Perfect for cookie exchanges too!

      Reply
      • Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves says

        November 20, 2020 at 5:13 pm

        You won't be disappointed, Connie! They are really delicious cookies. Thank you! x Jenny

        Reply
    11. Debra says

      November 16, 2020 at 10:14 am

      5 stars
      Excellent flavor and texture. Will be making again for the holidays, for sure. Delicious.

      Reply
      • Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves says

        November 20, 2020 at 5:12 pm

        Thank you, Debra! So glad you liked them. x Jenny

        Reply
    12. Kate says

      November 20, 2020 at 5:05 pm

      5 stars
      I followed all the recipe steps. They turned out amazing!! Great recipe.

      Reply
      • Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves says

        November 20, 2020 at 5:06 pm

        Thank you so much, Kate! So happy you liked the cookies! x Jenny

        Reply
    13. Allison Miller says

      December 02, 2020 at 5:21 pm

      I lived in Greece for a little while and LOVED these cookies during Christmas time!!!! I'm excited to try the recipe, but I don't have sunflower oil. Is there a different oil I could substitute?

      Reply
      • Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves says

        December 02, 2020 at 5:29 pm

        Hi Allison!
        You can just use olive oil or any other seed oil you have handy. Canola, corn oil should work fine.
        Let me know how the cookies came out!
        Thanks so much! x Jenny

        Reply
    14. Hazel Lobo says

      December 22, 2020 at 8:36 am

      Are they crispy or soft inside and hard from outside?

      Reply
      • Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves says

        December 22, 2020 at 9:29 am

        Hi Hazel! They are very soft with a slight crisp on the outside, mainly from the nuts. They really are delicious. Thank you for checking them out! x Jenny

        Reply
    15. Barbara says

      November 15, 2021 at 6:45 pm

      2lb of flour. Would that be 8.5 cups.

      Reply
      • Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves says

        November 16, 2021 at 9:01 am

        Hi Barbara,
        Correct, it is 8.5 cups of flour!
        Thanks so much,

        x Jenny

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi there!

    I am Jenny, a Greek expat living in the greater New York City area. I like to say I am a beauty art director turned foodie, aka the Greek foodie. Born and raised in Greece, my fondness for good food goes hand in hand with my heritage. My absolute favorite thing to do is cook delicious food to enjoy with family and friends.... Find out more about me here…

    EAT LIKE A GREEK!

    A black bowl with tomato confit, herbs and a spoon.

    Amazing Tomato Confit With Herbs

    A glass bowl with kourabides, Greek Christmas butter cookies, and Christmas lights at the back.

    Kourabiedes - Greek Christmas Butter Cookies

    A plate with Greek green beans with potatoes in tomato sauce, some fresh basil. On the table, a napkin, utensils and a piece of bread.

    Greek Green Beans In Tomato Sauce

    A small plate with olive oil and herbs, a gold spoon on a butcher block surrounded by pieces of bread.

    Bread Dipping Oil

    A white plate with tomato garlic pasta and herbs with a fork and spoon.

    Tomato Garlic Pasta

    Comfort Food

    Feta Cheese Puff Pastries With Leeks And Dill

    Vegetarian Moussaka With Plant Based Beef

    A plate with soutzoukakia-cumin meatballs.

    Cumin Meatballs In Red Sauce - Greek Soutzoukakia

    Low Carb Turkey Meatballs & Gravy

    A plate with spaghetti and greek tomato basil sauce

    Greek Spaghetti Sauce With Tomatoes & Basil

    Three pizza boats, peinirli on a platter.

    Easy Peinirli - Greek Pizza Boats

    Footer

    © 2023 · The Greek Foodie · All Rights Reserved