Chocolate Greek Christmas Honey Cookies (Melomakarona)

Ingredients for syrup

Ingredients for the Melomakarona

Method for syrup

In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients for the syrup, except for the honey,

and stir over high heat until it comes to a boil (make sure the cinnamon is broken).

Next, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the honey while stirring.

Immediately after, set it aside to cool.

Method for the Melomakarona

In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients for the Melomakarona along with the

orange zest and mix well with a whisk.

Immediately after, in a large bowl, pour all the liquid ingredients and honey, and mix well with a whisk.

After thoroughly mixing the liquid ingredients, gradually add the mixture of dry

ingredients in batches (4-5 times) and mix well with your hands, using crosswise

movements (up, down, left, right), until a very soft dough is formed. Add the

chocolate drops and mix for the last time.

Then, with quick movements, shape the dough into the Melomakarona of the

desired size, making sure they are roughly the same size to ensure even baking.

Place the Melomakarona on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake in a

preheated oven on the middle rack at 170 C for 20-22 minutes, depending on the size and desired level of crispiness.

Syrup drenching

Immediately after taking the Melomakarona out of the oven, pour them hot as they are in the cold syrup.

Allow the Melomakarona to soak in the syrup according to how syrupy you want

them: 1 minute for lightly soaked, 1.5-2 minutes for moderately soaked, and over 2 minutes for heavily soaked.

Remove the Melomakarona from the syrup, place them on a rack with non-stick

paper underneath or on a tray to drain well, and garnish with as much honey as

desired and finely chopped nuts.

Chocolate Greek Christmas Honey Cookies (Melomakarona)