Lemon Koulourakia: Greek Easter Cookies

Hello all! As Easter is around the corner everyone is busy with the preps. This year I thought of making a new Easter traditional recipe along with Easter Eggs.

Koulourakia are a traditional Greek dessert made for Easter. They have a sweet delicate flavor with a hint of vanilla. Koulourakia are well known for their sprinkle of sesame seeds and distinctive ring shape. In fact, the word is the diminutive form for a ring-shaped loaf or lifebelt. For more read here.

This cookies are made in 3 patent shapes

1. Braid-like
2. Snake Shape (S shape)
3. Round/Spiral/Ring shape

Round Twisted / Braided Log

I loved the Braid one twisted in a circle.So I started to make it but it was taking some time so I made 3 of them and the rest the round ones (they were quite easy and less time-consuming). If you want you can make the other shapes or try all with the same dough. Its a lot of fun! And you’ll be spell-bound by the delicate taste of these beautiful cookies.

Another Snap 🙂

Here’s the recipe…

Ingredients:

Makes 20 medium-sized cookies

• Butter: 125 g
• Caster Sugar: 110 g
• Egg Yolk : 1 (keep the egg white for brushing)
• Self Raising Flour: 260 g
• Vanilla Essence: 1/2 tsp
• Lemon Juice: 1+1/2 tbsp
• Lemon Rind: 1 tbsp
• Sesame Seeds: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Cream butter and sugar pale and fluffy.
2. Add in the egg, vanilla essence and lemon juice and beat till completely incorporated.
3. Add the sifted flour in 4 batches while mixing continuously.
4. Fold in the lemon rind.
5. Knead to make a smooth dough.
6. Cling-wrap and pop in the fridge for 20 minutes.
7. Pre-heat the oven at 180°C and line the cookie tray.
8. Divide the dough into 20 equal portions and roll them into balls.
9.  Now, roll the balls in long logs and give them the desired shape. I made spirals.
10. Put them on the cookie tray. Brush them with egg white and sprinkle sesame seeds on them.
11. Bake for about 15 minutes and then let the cookies sit on the tray for 5-8 minutes.
12. Transfer to a wire rack.

 Notes:

1. If you find it hard to roll the dough balls into logs, add 1/4 tsp milk per ball and knead lightly before making logs.
2. The dough can be kept for over a week in fridge.
3. Do not bake the cookies for more than 15 minutes.

Happy Easter!