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Greek easter cookies (koulourakia) with sesame seeds on white parchment paper.
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5 from 4 votes

Greek Easter Butter Cookies (Koulourakia)

Greek easter cookies (koulourakia) are buttery, crisp, yet tender cookies shaped into braids or twists. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or granulated sugar for a simple and delicious cookie with a rich buttery flavour. Follow this recipe and enjoy koulourakia fresh from the oven!
Prep Time1 hour 10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: butter cookies, easter cookies, Greek holiday cookies
Servings: 40 cookies
Calories: 101kcal
Author: Ria Mavrikos

Equipment

  • Electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment
  • Pastry brush
  • Light-coloured cookie sheet
  • Citrus zester

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened - room temperature
  • 1 cup white granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 oz. Metaxa brandy
  • 4 cups all purpose flour sifted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • zest of one lemon
  • 1 egg yolk for the egg wash
  • 1-2 teaspoons milk for the egg wash
  • Sesame seeds optional

Instructions

  • STEP 1: Cream the butter and sugar together. Add 1/2 a cup of unsalted butter to a mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on medium speed (#4 on a KitchenAid mixer) with the paddle attachment and beat the butter for one minute. The butter should become fluffy at this point. If it doesn't, then your butter may be too cold, or the speed of the mixer may be too low. Slowly add 1 cup of granulated sugar and continue to beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 2 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula.
  • STEP 2: Add in the eggs. Add one egg at a time to the butter and sugar mixture with the mixer on medium-high speed. Allow each egg to fully incorporate into the mixture before adding in the next egg (about 30-45 seconds). After adding all four eggs, add 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract and 1 oz. of Metaxa brandy. Mix together and then turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
  • STEP 3: Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and lemon zest in a large bowl. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients until all of the flour is combined. Transfer the cookie dough to a large clean bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Place the cookie dough in the fridge for 20-25 minutes.
  • STEP 4: Shape the koulourakia cookies. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F on bake. Line a light-coloured baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the cookie dough from the fridge. Roll about a tablespoon of cookie dough into a ball. On a clean work surface, gently roll the ball out into a long rope. You want the rope size to be even across so that not one part is thicker. Then, shape the rope into a horseshoe. Place one side over the other, and then use your hands to twist the top and bottom of the cookie in opposite directions.
  • STEP 5: Bake the koulourakia cookies. Place the cookies on the baking sheet. The cookies will expand slightly as they bake, so you'll want to leave about an inch or two in between each cookie. In a small bowl, make an egg wash by whisking together one egg yolk and a teaspoon of milk. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the egg wash on top of the cookies. Sprinkle the koulourakia cookies with sesame seeds (optional), granulated sugar, or a combination of granulated sugar and sesame seeds. Place the cookies in the oven, and bake at 350 degrees F for 20-22 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.

Notes

  1. The butter and eggs must be at room temperature so the cookie batter can mix together without curdling.  If that batter starts to curdle, that's ok, just add a tablespoon of the flour mixture. And then, continue to add the eggs one at a time.  Use room-temperature butter and eggs to best prevent the cookie dough from curdling.  Add the eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, and allow each egg to fully incorporate into the batter (30-45 seconds) before adding in the next egg. 
  2. I tested this recipe using a dark-coloured cookie sheet (black), a dark grey cookie sheet, and a light-coloured cookie sheet (light grey/silver). A light-coloured cookie sheet produced the best results, where the bottom of the cookies were golden brown and not burnt. Light-coloured cookie sheets allow these delicate cookies to bake more gently and evenly. Dark cookie sheets attract more heat, and the bottom of the pan gets hotter, so these cookies burn more easily when baking on dark-coloured baking sheets.
  3. The dough should be soft and pliable but not too soft where it's sticky. If it's sticky, add 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour at a time until the dough is no longer sticky. The dough will be easier to handle and shape after it's been cooled in the fridge for 20-25 minutes.
  4. Try to make the cookies similar in size so they can bake evenly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 45mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g