Chocolate Filled Melomakarona Recipe (Covered With Nutella)

This chocolate filled melomakarona recipe, coated with creamy Nutella and finished with crunchy roasted hazelnuts, is an absolute showstopper. I’m absolutely pumped to present this recipe, as I’ve never seen a version like it before! Let me tell you, my unique twist on the traditional Greek honey cookies is pure magic!

Although this is a dessert to enjoy all year round, if you're looking for the original melomakarona recipe, check out my traditional Greek Christmas cookie for a more authentic taste. And if you're looking for other Christmas recipes, check out my kourabiedes recipe!

Jump to:

• Why you will love this recipe
• Video tutorial
• Ingredients
• Preparation
• Instructions
• Serving
• Variations
• Storage
• 📖 Recipe

Why you will love this recipe

• My Unique Twist on Tradition: Imagine biting into a classic melomakarona, only to find a creamy Nutella centre. It’s a taste of luxury, especially for chocolate lovers.
• An Unforgettable Combination: Warm spices, delicious honey syrup, creamy Nutella, and crunchy nuts come together in perfect harmony. Every bite delivers a symphony of textures and flavours that will have everyone reaching for seconds.
• Perfect for the Holiday Season: Whether it’s Christmas time or a festive family gathering, these delicious cookies offer a gourmet experience and are guaranteed to impress.
• A Bakery-Worthy Finish: These honestly look like something you’d find at one of the best Greek pastry shops. The roasted hazelnuts make them absolutely pop, adding an essence of indulgence!

Video tutorial

Watch my step-by-step video tutorial to learn how to make these incredible chocolate filled Greek Christmas cookies from start to finish!

Don’t forget to like, comment, and share the video with anyone who loves traditional melomakarona and needs to try this version with a little twist!

Ingredients

Let’s dive into what makes this chocolate filled melomakarona recipe so irresistible, and as always, check the recipe card below for precise quantities.

Filling and Dough

• Nutella: Nutella is the perfect choice for these cookies because it freezes beautifully, making it easy to handle while shaping. Once baked, it returns to its signature gooey, creamy texture, giving each bite that luscious, chocolatey indulgence.
• Unsalted Butter: Soft, room-temperature butter creates a smooth and pliable dough that holds its shape while baking. It’s very important not to melt the butter in this recipe, as it will change the texture of the dough.
• Olive Oil: This classic Greek ingredient keeps the dough moist and adds a tender texture to the dough. It also enhances the overall flavour while staying true to its Mediterranean roots.
• Fresh Juice: A splash of orange juice brings a refreshing citrus taste, perfectly balancing the sweetness of the honey and spices.
• Ouzo & Cognac (Metaxa): These traditional Greek spirits infuse the cookies with depth and a touch of authenticity, making them stand out from any other holiday dessert. Don’t have one? Just double up on the other!
• Spices (Ground Cinnamon & Cloves): These add a hint of holiday spice, bringing the essence of the festive season to life and filling your kitchen with an irresistible aroma.
• Self-Raising Flour: You’ll need self-raising flour, not all-purpose flour, to help the cookies rise perfectly and stay light and soft.
• Vanilla extract/ essense: A touch of vanilla adds a light sweetness and extra warmth, which enhances the flavour of the dough without overpowering the other ingredients.
• Baking Powder: Helps the cookies rise slightly better while baking, giving them the perfect texture, which is soft but yet structured.

Syrup

• Water and Sugar: These form the base of the syrup, creating the perfect consistency to soak into the cookies and enhance their flavour.
• Cinnamon Stick & Cloves: Just like in the traditional recipe, we simmer these aromatics to infuse the syrup with warm, festive notes that tie everything together beautifully.
• Lemon Juice: A touch of lemon juice adds a subtle tang, balancing the sweetness and brightening the syrup’s overall flavour. Some use orange zest and juice instead, but I love the freshness that lemon brings to the recipe.
• Honey: The key ingredient in any melomakarona syrup! Honey brings a rich sweetness, celebrating the beloved tradition of melomakarona while adding a luxurious touch to each cookie.

Topping

• Melted Chocolate (Nutella): Drizzled over the top, this adds a luxurious chocolate coating that will steal the show on any dessert table. It’s rich, glossy, and irresistible!
• Roasted Hazelnuts: Adding a natural nuttiness and delightful crunch, hazelnuts are the obvious pairing for Nutella! A mix of fine and textured pieces gives each cookie a beautiful, bakery-worthy finish.

Preparation

This isn’t a difficult recipe, but there are a few things you’ll want to prepare and make sure you have before getting started:

• Prepare Your Hazelnuts: If your hazelnuts aren’t already toasted, lightly roast them to enhance their flavour. Crush them into a mix of fine and larger pieces for the perfect topping.
• Have a Digital Scale Ready: If you want perfectly consistent cookies, a digital scale is your best friend and will ensures your portions are accurate every time.
• Piping Bag: You’ll need this to drizzle the Nutella on top. If you don’t have a piping bag, a zip-top bag works just as well. Simply cut a small hole in the corner with scissors and your good to go!
• Gather Your Tools: Have a large mixing bowl for the cookie dough, baking trays lined with parchment paper, a small saucepan for the syrup, and cooling racks for the cookies.
• Prepare Key Ingredients: Squeeze your orange juice, sift your flour into a bowl, and measure out the rest of the ingredients for a quicker workflow.

Instructions

Follow this easy guide using the photos for each step to help you along the way. If you need extra assistance, simply watch my video to see it all in action!

Prepare the filling

1. Scoop and Freeze: Line a baking tray with parchment paper and scoop small portions of Nutella onto it. Freezing the Nutella makes it much easier to handle.
2. Cut and Store: Once the Nutella is frozen solid, cut it into manageable portions. Keep the unused portions in the freezer while you work to prevent them from softening too quickly.

Prepare the dough

1. Mix the Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine unsalted butter (at room temperature), olive oil, fresh orange juice, ouzo, cognac, vanilla essence, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder, and salt. Add the sugar and mix until smooth and well combined.
2. Incorporate the Flour: Gradually sift in the self-raising flour, mixing as you go. Use a stand mixer with a beating head or mix by hand until a soft, pliable dough forms.
3. Check the Dough’s Consistency: The dough should be smooth, soft dough, and not sticky. If it feels too sticky, add a little more flour. If it’s too dry, add a tiny splash of orange juice or olive oil. The dough should be easy to handle and hold its shape without cracking.

Assembly and Baking

1. Flatten the Dough: Take one portion of dough and gently flatten it into a small disc.
2. Fill with Nutella: Place a frozen portion of Nutella in the centre of the flattened dough disc.
3. Seal and Roll: Carefully wrap the dough around the Nutella, ensuring it’s fully enclosed. First, roll it into a ball, then shape it into an oval.
4. Arrange on the Baking Tray: Place the shaped cookies onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Be sure to leave space between each cookie to allow them to spread slightly while baking.
5. Bake the Cookies: Preheat your oven to 170°C fan-forced. Bake for 20–30 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown and slightly firm to the touch.
6. Cool the Cookies: Let the cookies cool on a wire rack. They will firm up as they cool, so don’t worry if they seem soft right out of the oven.

Prepare and Incorporating the Syrup

1. Combine the Ingredients: In a saucepan, add water, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves completely.
2. Add the Honey: Turn off the heat, stir in the honey, and then let the syrup cool slightly as we want it to be only warm when we pour it over the top of our cookies.
3. Prepare the Cookies for Dipping: Place a cooled cookie on a fork, slotted spoon or small sifter to easily dunk it into the syrup and let any excess syrup drain off.
4. Dip the Bottom: Using a ladle, scoop some syrup and lower the cookie into it, wetting the bottom.
5. Pour Syrup Over the Top: Pour the warm syrup over the top of the cookie, letting any excess syrup drip back into the bowl.
6. Place on a Cooling Rack: After the cookie has absorbed the syrup, place it on a wire rack to continue absorbing the syrup and get ready for the topping stage.

Note: You don’t want cold syrup, so if needed, place it back over a low heat to bring up the temperature if it cools too much.

Preparing and incorporating the toppings

1. Set Up a Double Boiler: Add water to a saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Place a heatproof bowl over the top, making sure it doesn’t touch the hot water. Use a kitchen towel or mitt to handle the bowl.
2. Melt the Nutella: Add Nutella to the heatproof bowl and stir occasionally until it’s smooth and glossy.
3. Transfer to a Piping Bag: Once melted, transfer the Nutella into a piping bag for easy drizzling.
4. Drizzle the Nutella: Drizzle the melted Nutella over the cooled, syrup-soaked cookies in a zigzag pattern, making sure each one is generously covered.
5. Add the Hazelnuts: Immediately sprinkle the roasted hazelnuts over the Nutella drizzle while it’s still wet, ensuring they stick to the chocolate.
6. Let the Topping Set: Allow the Nutella to cool slightly, then place the cookies on a nice tray for presentation. Serve and enjoy!

Serving

• Great for Gifting: Arrange the cookies on a decorative plate or in a gift box to create an elegant presentation. This is the best melomakarona recipe, perfect for sharing with loved ones during the holiday season.
• Perfect with Greek Coffee: Serve your chocolate filled melomakarona with a classic Greek coffee, frappe, or an ice-cold freddo! Or, enjoy with a similar beverage for the ultimate indulgence.
• As Part of a Dessert Spread: Serve alongside other favourites like the original melomakarona, baklava, or even my baklava rolls for a delightful spread. And if you're a chocolate lover craving more, be sure to try out my sokolatopita and mosaiko recipes!

Variations

• Top with Ground Walnuts: For a more traditional touch, finish off your chocolate filled melomakarona with ground walnuts. Making the top just like the classic version, bringing in a bit of the best from both worlds.
• Swap for Dark Chocolate: If you prefer a more intense chocolate flavour, melt rich dark chocolate instead. This brings a deeper, slightly bitter taste that pairs wonderfully with the sweet cookies.
• White Chocolate Finish: If you're a white chocolate lover, why not make it your own and experiment with drizzling melted white chocolate over the top? During the festive moments, anything goes!

Storage

• Store in an Airtight Container: Once the Nutella has set, place your melomakarona in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
• Avoid Stacking: To maintain the presentation and prevent the Nutella topping from getting ruined, make sure not to stack the cookies on top of each other. Lay them flat in the container instead.
• Keep at Room Temperature: Store the cookies at room temperature for up to two weeks.

📖 Recipe