An easy way to make a delicious dessert which combines two amazing ingredients, chocolate pudding and Greek melomakarona cookies. Use instant pudding mix and canned whipped cream to make this simple dessert effortless!

Greek melomakarona chocolate pudding in a glass tumbler, topped with whipped cream.

Growing up in a Greek home, Christmas was not Christmas without some very special foods and desserts. On the sweet table we always had kourabiethes, koulourakia and melomakarona. Sure, other cookies and cakes made their appearance too, but these three were staples, always.

Over the years I have had a lot of fun coming up with creative ways to showcase melomakarona. Now, to be clear, the cookies themselves are perfect just as they are, but recipes like melomakarona cinnamon rolls, melomakarona cheesecake and melomakarona muffins are pretty perfect too! This year I have done it again, creating a simple dessert that you will love!

I came up with this idea because I was thinking about the recent trend of dipping melomakarona cookies in chocolate. Delicious for sure, but already done by so many! Instead, I opted to combine the flavour of the cookies and chocolate in another way and that is how I came up with Greek melomakarona chocolate pudding. Guys, it is a winner!

Why I love this recipe

I love melomakarona cookies, and I love getting creative with them. This is a really elegant and fun way to incorporate two of my favourite desserts, chocolate pudding and melomakarona.

Nothing could be simpler than this recipe. Sure, I could have told you how to make homemade chocolate pudding, and encouraged you to whip your own cream, but I love this recipe because it is simple! It is more assembly than anything else!

Key ingredients

Chocolate pudding mix I use a popular brand of pudding mix that only requires that I add milk. Since this is dessert, I usually use full fat milk! Regardless of what brand you use, make sure that you read the instructions carefully because your pudding has to set before you move on to assembling this special dessert.

Melomakarona cookies To make this special recipe you will need the honey soaked, orange flavoured, traditional Greek cookies called melomakarona. If you are Greek, or know someone who is, you will for sure be familiar with these cookies. You can also check out our fail-proof melomakarona recipe.

Whipped cream I like to make this easy dessert as easy as possible, so I use the whipped cream that comes in a can. A shake and press on the nozzle and I have perfectly light and delicious whipped cream!

Shaved chocolate I decorate the top of this dessert with shaved chocolate curls. I use a vegetable peeler to shave off chocolate from a chocolate bar. Simple and effective!

How to make it

Nothing could be easier than this dessert, which is really a bonus when dealing with the busyness of the holidays. Follow these easy steps for a show stopping dessert!

Step 1
Prepare your chocolate pudding according to the package directions. Allow it to set in the refrigerator completely.

Ingredients include chocolate pudding and melomakarona.

Step 2
Crush six melomakarona cookies and divide them amongst four glass tumblers or bowls; reserve a tablespoon of the crushed melomakarona before doing so.

Layering the bottom of the tumbler with crushed up melomakarona.

Step 3
Chop up two melomakarona cookies and mix them into the pudding gently. Add equal amounts of the pudding to the four serving tumblers or bowls. Top with whipped cream. Sprinkle the top with the reserved crushed melomakarona and the chocolate shavings. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe substitutions

The only ingredient which is non-negotiable in this recipe are of course the melomakarona cookies!

Chocolate pudding

I use a popular brand of instant pudding mix to make this dessert. You can use any pudding mix you want. You can even use ready made pudding if you can find it. If you have extra time (and energy) you can make your chocolate pudding without using a mix.

Whipped cream

Like I said, for me this recipe is all about easy! Although I usually whip my own cream, in this recipe I grabbed a can of real whipped cream, pressed on the nozzle, and voila! Leftover whipped cream is going to be used to top Hot chocolate or a warm cup of Milk and coffee! But, again, you can definitely whip your own cream if you prefer.

Chocolate shavings

You can use milk chocolate, dark chocolate or even white chocolate here. I like to use dark chocolate, but you do you!

Helpful hints

Be sure to read the instructions for making your pudding carefully. Make sure you have the other ingredients you will need (likely milk) and allow for enough time to have the pudding set well.

I think that this dessert is best enjoyed soon after it is assembled. Otherwise, the pieces of melomakarona in the pudding will soften quite a bit. Not the end of the world, but I enjoy where there is still some firmness to them. Because of this, it is easy enough to crush your melomakarona for the base ahead of time and then assemble your dessert right before serving. Easy peasy!

Frequently asked questions

What are melomakarona?

Melomakarona are a traditional Greek cookie made without eggs or dairy, making them perfect for lent or nistea. They are flavoured with spices and orange and once baked they are dipped in honey and decorated with crushed walnuts. They are sometimes called finikia and they are absolutely delicious! Christmas is not Christmas in a Greek home without them!

Where can I find melomakarona?

Any Greek bakery will have these delicious cookies, usually year round. Otherwise, ask any Greeks you know – they probably have a container full of melomakarona, especially during the Christmas holidays. My best advice though, bake up a batch of these amazing cookies yourself. You can use my family recipe. It is loved by so many, and now you can love it too!

Storing

If you do decide to make your melomakarona chocolate pudding dessert ahead of time, be sure to store it in the refrigerator.

This recipe does not freeze well.

If you do have melomakarona cookies left over, those do freeze well however!

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