Yiayia Vaso’s Step by Step Guide to Greek Honey Cookies for Christmas Melomakarona
Discover Yiayia Vaso’s traditional Melomakarona recipe made easy and lovingly adapted for the whole family! These Greek Christmas honey cookies are irresistibly soft, drenched in golden honey, and topped with crunchy crushed walnuts. While Yiayia’s original recipe (crafted to feed a village) includes a splash of cognac, I’ve scaled it down to make just 14 cookies and kept it kid-friendly. Watch the video for an easy step-by-step guide and bring the taste of a Greek Christmas to your home this holiday season. Perfect for festive gatherings or as a sweet treat with coffee!
Table of Contents
Yiayia Vaso’s original handwritten recipe of Melomakarona Greek Honey Cookies.
Combine equal parts of honey, caster sugar and water and bring to a boil. Set aside and allow to cool.
In a bowl, add the oil, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon, flour, baking powder and baking soda.
The dough should come together easily to roll into a ball.
Cut the dough into pizza-like slices like pictured.
Create a log-type shape. You can also make them round.
Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes, then dunk the cookies into the cold syrup for a minute or so. Top with crushed walnuts.
Here’s a close up of one melomakarona cookie.
Here’s what it should look like inside.
Ingredients
Method
- In a pot, mix all the syrup ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Let it cool completely.
- Combine all the dough ingredients in a bowl and mix until you form a smooth ball.
- Divide the dough into 14 equal pieces, then roll each piece into a log shape.
- Place the logs on a baking tray and bake in a fan oven at 180°C for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Dunk the hot cookies into the cool syrup and allow to soak for one minute. Take out and top with crushed walnuts.
- While the cookies are still hot, dip them into the cooled syrup for 1 minute. Remove, then sprinkle with crushed walnuts.
FAQs: Greek Honey Cookies Melomakarona Recipe
1. What are Melomakarona?
Melomakarona are traditional Greek honey cookies, typically made during the Christmas season. They are soft, soaked in honey syrup, and topped with crushed walnuts for a festive and flavourful treat.
2. Can I make Melomakarona without alcohol?
Absolutely! While traditional recipes often include cognac for added depth, this version has been adapted without alcohol, making it perfect for kids and family-friendly occasions.
3. How long Melomakarona can last?
Melomakarona can last up to 2 weeks if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. In fact, they get better over time as they absorb more of the honey syrup!
4. Can I freeze Melomakarona?
Yes, you can freeze them! It’s best to freeze the cookies before soaking them in syrup. When ready to serve, thaw them and then dip them in the honey syrup and sprinkle with walnuts.