Melomakarona (Syruped Pudding Cookies) and A Cookbook Giveaway

Melomakarona are dry shortbread cookies that are soaked in syrup until they become bread pudding-like in texture when bitten into. They’re traditional Greek cookies and they are always made around Christmas time. Having melomakarona is something that I always looked forward to as a kid and still do till this day. My mom usually makes them, but I won’t be home until Christmas Eve this year and wanted to be able to enjoy them the whole week before Christmas, so this year I tried making them on my own for the very first time. The first batch didn’t come out quite right because I put the cookies too close to each other so they all kind of baked into rectangles rather than ovals from touching each other. The second and third batches came out fine since I knew to give them at least 3 inches of space around each cookie. The taste was just how I remembered, sweet and honeyed, with a hint of cinnamon. But my favorite part about Melomakarona has always been the texture, soft and pudding-y. The cookie holds its form right up until you bite into it, and then it just falls to pieces and melts in your mouth. Absolutely wonderful. And in the holiday spirit, I’m giving away one copy of The Foti’s Greek Deli Cookbook. The Foti’s Greek Deli Cookbook is a collection of recipes my family has used over the years both at home and in their Southeast Portland restaurant. To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below about your favorite holiday treat with your email address. For an extra entry, like Adventures in Cooking on Facebook. The winner will be announced on December 25th and contacted via email. I hope you all enjoy the cookies and have wonderful holidays!

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Melomakarona (Syruped Pudding Cookies)

Course Dessert

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Cooling/Resting Time 20 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Author Eva Kosmas Flores

Ingredients

Cookies

• 4 Cups Flour
• 1 and 1/2 Cups Olive Oil
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Butter
• 1/2 Cup Orange Juice
• 1/3 Cup Ground Almonds
• Juice From 1/2 of a Lemon
• 2 Tablespoons Spiced Rum
• 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves

Syrup

• 2 Cups Sugar
• 1 and 1/3 Cups Water
• 1 Cup Honey
• 1 Stick Cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Begin by making the cookies. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, then add the olive oil and mix well. Add the orange juice, lemon juice, rum, and vanilla extract and mix until completely blended.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together all of the dry ingredients. Then slowly add the dry ingredient mixture to the butter mixture, mixing well between additions until all of the dry ingredients have been added and a soft dough forms.
3. Take 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the dough and pat it between the palms of your hands to form a domed oval shape. Place the cookie on an ungreased cookie sheet, making sure to leave a 3 inch perimeter of space around each cookie as they will expand when baking. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies just begin to turn light gold and the tops are relatively firm when poked.
4. While the cookies are baking, make the syrup. Bring the sugar, water, honey, and cinnamon stick to a boil over medium-high heat. Then lower the heat and allow the syrup to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the syrup from the heat and place it in the refrigerator on a hot plate to cool.
5. Once the cookies are removed from the oven, allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Once the syrup is chilled, pour it into a wide and shallow pan or bowl. Place the cookies in the syrup and allow them to soak for 10 minutes on each side. Then remove the cookies and place them on a wire rack to allow the excess syrup to drip off for about 10 minutes. Place the syruped cookies on cupcake liners and sprinkle them with the ground almonds. Serve at room temperature. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.