Koulourakia Greek Easter Cookies Recipes

KOULOURAKIA (GREEK EASTER COOKIES)

Steps:

• 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.)

GREEK EASTER COOKIES - KOULOURAKIA

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 375°F In one bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking powder.
• In a second bowl mix the sugar and softened butter until fluffy. Stir in the vanilla, milk and egg. MIx thoroughly. Now slowly blend in the flour mixture until thoroughly mixed.
• Take about a teaspoon of dough and roll on floured counter. Roll until it´s about 5" long, then fold in half and twist. Pinch the ends together. Put on cookie sheet and brush with mix of yolk and milk. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top.
• Bake about 13 minutes, until they turn golden brown. Serve cool.

KOULOURAKIA (GREEK EASTER COOKIES)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Add 2 eggs and blend well. Add milk and orange juice and beat on high for about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add flour to butter mixture and beat well until a soft dough is formed (add a bit more flour if needed, until dough is no longer sticky but soft).
• Pinch off 1″ balls of dough and shape into a 6″ long rope. Braid the two ends together and place one inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Beat the remaining egg with the 2 tablespoons of water. Brush each cookie with egg wash. You may sprinkle with sesame seeds at this point, if desired.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Cool on rack. These store and freeze well, just place in freezer bags or containers.
• 4 Dozen.

SESAME GREEK EASTER COOKIES (KOULOURAKIA)

Steps:

• Cream butter. Add sugar gradually.
• Add eggs one at a time alternately with orange juice.
• Add flour that has been sifted with soda and baking powder, a little bit at a time. Should be a soft dough.
• Shape as desired and brush with egg and milk mixture. Traditional Greek cookies are 2 small strands of dough twisted together and brushed with egg-milk mixture and sprinkled with sesame seed.
• Use greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees to 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.