Koulourakia (Greek Easter Cookies)
User Reviews
4.4
Koulourakia (Greek Easter Cookies)
Description
Koulourakia are Greek butter cookies traditionally served at Easter. The dough combines softened unsalted butter, sugar, eggs, warm milk, vanilla, and orange zest, creating a flavorful base. Baking powder helps achieve a tender texture. After chilling, the dough is shaped into one-inch balls rolled into seven-inch ropes, then twisted to form distinctive cookie shapes. An egg wash brushed on top adds a shine and helps sesame seeds stick, providing a nutty accent.
Baked at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes, these cookies develop a delicate golden hue with crispy edges and a tender crumb inside. They can be served at room temperature with coffee or tea. Koulourakia store well in a sealed container for up to a week, maintaining their freshness and texture, making them convenient for holiday gatherings or snacking over several days.
Ingredients
- ½ c unsalted butter softened
- ¾ c sugar
- 2 egg
- ¼ c milk warmed to 80F
- 1 tsp vanilla extract pure
- 1 orange zested
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 ½ c all-purpose flour unbleached
- 1 egg for the glaze, beaten with 1 Tbsp of water
- sesame seeds (to top)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, and beat until lightly colored. Add the milk, vanilla, orange zest, and baking powder. Mixing as you add.
- Add the flour, a little at a time, while mixing, until you have a soft, but not sticky, dough.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill 30 min.
- While your dough is resting, preheat your oven to 350F
- Once the dough has rested, dip your fingers in a little flour and pinch off a 1 inch ball of dough. Roll the ball into a 7 inch rope on a lightly floured surface. Fold the rope in half and twist the two strands together to form the cookie. Continue with the remaining dough.
- Place the shaped cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, 1 inch apart.
- Brush each cookie with the egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water). Sprinkle the cookies with sesame seeds, if desired
- Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes, rotating your baking sheet halfway through baking time for more even cooking. Cookies are done when they are lightly golden.
- Let the koulourakia cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
- (This recipe makes a lot of koulourakia) so, if you need to, just cover any excess dough while your first batch bakes, so it doesn’t dry out.)
Notes
- Store cookies in a dry, airtight container at room temperature to keep them fresh up to one week.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.4
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