Koulourakia (Greek Butter Cookies With Sesame)

Greek Butter Cookies With Sesame (Koulourakia) Recipe

 The Spruce

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 12 to 15 servings

A kouloura (koo-LOU-rah) in Greek is a round twist. The name for these traditional butter cookies comes from their round twisted shape, but you will also see Koulourakia as small braids or in the shape of the letter “S.” Koulourakia are delicious dunked in coffee or milk and are the traditional Easter cookie.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (2 cups) unsalted butter

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 2 ounces ouzo

  • 6 large eggs, divided

  • 6 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

  • Sesame seeds, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Greek Butter Cookies With Sesame (Koulourakia) Recipe
    The Spruce
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

  3. Using the mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

    Greek Butter Cookies With Sesame (Koulourakia) Recipe
    The Spruce
  4. Add the vanilla extract and ouzo and mix well.

    Greek Butter Cookies With Sesame (Koulourakia) Recipe
    The Spruce
  5. While the mixer is running, add 4 of the eggs one by one and mix until well incorporated.

    Greek Butter Cookies With Sesame (Koulourakia) Recipe
    The Spruce
  6. In a separate bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder and soda.

    Greek Butter Cookies With Sesame (Koulourakia) Recipe
    The Spruce
  7. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture little by little. The dough will be soft and malleable but it should not be sticky. You should be able to pinch off a ball of dough and roll it into a cord or thin tube. If the dough is too sticky, add a little bit more flour. Allow the dough to rest a bit before rolling into shapes.

    Greek Butter Cookies With Sesame (Koulourakia) Recipe
    The Spruce 
  8. To shape the cookies, pinch off a piece of dough about the size of a walnut.

    Greek Butter Cookies With Sesame (Koulourakia) Recipe
    The Spruce
  9. Roll out a cord or thin tube of dough about the length of a dinner knife.

    Greek Butter Cookies With Sesame (Koulourakia) Recipe
    The Spruce 
  10. Fold in half then twist two times. You can also make a coiled circle or an “S” shape.

    Greek Butter Cookies With Sesame (Koulourakia) Recipe
    The Spruce
  11. Beat the remaining 2 eggs in a bowl and add a splash of water to the egg.

    Greek Butter Cookies With Sesame (Koulourakia) Recipe
    The Spruce
  12. Brush the cookies lightly with the egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.

    Greek Butter Cookies With Sesame (Koulourakia) Recipe
    The Spruce
  13. Bake cookies on parchment paper or on a lightly greased cookie sheet for approximately 20 minutes or until they are nicely golden brown.

    Greek Butter Cookies With Sesame (Koulourakia) Recipe
    The Spruce
  14. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
461 Calories
27g Fat
48g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 15
Amount per serving
Calories 461
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 34%
Saturated Fat 16g 80%
Cholesterol 139mg 46%
Sodium 270mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 48g 17%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 22g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 132mg 10%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 72mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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