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Greek Easter Cookies

Greek Easter Cookies

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Submitted by lorenzo

Greek Easter cookies (koulourakia) are buttery braided twists brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with sesame seeds, a traditional Orthodox Easter treat with a tender, not-too-sweet crumb.

YIELD

4 dozen

PREP

30 min

COOK

10

READY

60 min

These twisted ropes go by koulourakia in Greece, and they show up on every Orthodox Easter table alongside tsoureki bread and red-dyed eggs. The dough is buttery and only lightly sweetened, built for dunking into coffee or a glass of cold milk rather than standing alone as a sugar bomb.

Brandy is the signature flavor here. It adds a warm, almost nutty background that plain vanilla cookies never get. If you skip it for milk, the cookies still work, but they lose that little something that makes Yiayia’s version memorable.

Shaping is where the fun happens. Roll each teaspoon of dough into a rope, fold it in half, and twist two or three times before pinching the ends. The egg yolk and milk wash is what gives them that deep mahogany shine, while sesame seeds add a subtle toasty crunch against the tender crumb.

Pro Tips

  • Softened butter is a must, cold butter won’t cream properly with the sugar and the cookies will bake up dense
  • Keep the ropes even in thickness, thin spots bake into dry, brittle edges
  • Brush the egg wash thinly, pools in the twist crevices turn dark and bitter
  • Watch the last two minutes closely, koulourakia go from pale to over-browned fast
  • Store with a slice of bread in the container to keep them tender for up to two weeks

Variations

  • Add the zest of one orange to the dough for a citrus-forward version popular in Crete
  • Swap sesame seeds for a light sprinkle of cinnamon sugar after the egg wash
  • Shape into simple rings or S-curves if twisting feels fiddly, the flavor is identical

Ingredients

2 ¼ 532
1 ¼ 6.3
TEASPOONS ML BAKING POWDER
¼ 1.3
TEASPOON ML SALT
½ 118
CUP ML BUTTER
softened
1 237
1 1
LARGE EACH EGG
2 30
TABLESPOONS ML BRANDY
or milk
1 5
TEASPOON ML VANILLA EXTRACT
1 1
LARGE EACH EGG YOLK *
1 15
TABLESPOON ML MILK
beaten in with the egg yolk
3 45
TABLESPOONS ML SESAME SEED

Directions

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and set aside.

In a large bowl combine butter and sugar, beating until fluffy.

Add egg, brandy, vanilla and beat well after each addition.

Add flour mixture 1 cup at a time blending will after each addition.

Roll 1 teaspoon of dough on a lightly floured surface into a 6 inch rope, fold in half and twist 2 or 3 times, pinch ends together.

Place 1 inch apart on 3 greased cookie sheets.

Brush with egg/milk mixture.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake 10 to 13 minutes in a preheated 375℉ (190℃) oven until golden.

Cool on rack. Store in an air tight container at room temperature.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 163g (5.7 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 659 39% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 28g 43%
Saturated Fat 16g 78%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 108mg 36%
Sodium 331mg 14%
Total Carbohydrate 29g 29%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Sugars g
Protein 20g
Vitamin A 15% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 12% Iron 25%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Trans-fat Free, Good source of fiber
 

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