Best Greek koulourakia recipes
Koulourakia are Greek cookies, or biscuits, that come in a variety of shapes, including twists and braids. They are often flavoured with citrus or vanilla although many other flavours can be used as well. Koulourakia are excellent cookies to serve with coffee or milk, because they are perfect for dunking!
Growing up in a Greek home we always had koulourakia available. My non-Greek friends may have been enjoying chocolate chip cookies, but not me! My parents always had a container or two of koulourakia that they would offer as after school snacks, a sweet breakfast, and a before bed treat. Of course, when company popped by, a cup of Greek coffee with a plate of koulourakia was a sure way to express Greek hospitality.
Koulourakia varieties
There are so many varieties of koulourakia. Some are referred to as Easter koulourakia, because they are a popular treat to have during Pascha. Easter baskets offered to godchildren, friends and family often contained koulourakia, in part because they are usually sturdy enough to be packed up easily, but they also stay fresh for a pretty long time.
Koulourakia can also be vegan, making them perfect for lent. Great Lent is the period which precedes Orthodox Easter, and so nistisima koulourakia are wonderful to have on hand.
I have compiled some of my favourite koulourakia recipes here. You will find something for everyone in this collection of Greek koulourakia cookies. I hope you give them all a try, and let me know which one is your favourite!
Koulourakia with ammonia
I consider these to be the classic koulourakia, and what my family almost always makes for Easter. In this recipe I use baking ammonia to help the cookies rise. The result is a cookie that is crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. These koulourakia need just a few simple ingredients. Everyone loves them!
Koulourakia with ammonia is a substantive cookie that keeps well, especially stored in the fridge. I often make a huge batch and then I freeze them after they are baked. They are perfect as a school or work snack, a late night nibble, and of course, as a pre-breakfast breakfast. These cookies are also sturdy enough that they make great gifts, adn copmlement cookie trays and EAster baskets really , really well.
Olive oil koulourakia with orange and cinnamon
Greek olive oil koulourakia with orange and cinnamon are so easy to make, and so delicious. These vegan (and lenten) Greek twist cookies are made with simple ingredients and topped with cinnamon sugar before baking. Easy to make, and even easier to eat – I just know that you will love them!
These cookies do not contain any dairy or eggs, making them nistisima, or lenten. They are therefore perfect for periods of Orthodox fasting, and during lent they are a definite treat.
Easy 5 ingredient Greek koulourakia
What do I love about these Greek koulourakia cookies? Well, the flavour for one. They are the perfect amount of sweetness. The texture is something else that I love. These koulourakia are crumbly and melt in your mouth. These easy 5 ingredient Greek koulourakia are firm, but not hard. There is one problem with these koulourakia however – it is almost impossible to eat only one or two.
You almost certainly have the 5 ingredients needed to make these koulourakia in your kitchen right now. All you need is some all-purpose or regular flour, sugar, oil, eggs, and baking powder. The sesame seeds on top are optional. There is no special or complicated technique required. Just follow my recipe (my parents’ recipe actually) and you are set to go!
Greek moustokouloura cookies (Grape must cookies with petimezi)
These amazing traditional Greek grape must cookies called moustokouloura are sweetened with petimezi (grape molasses) and honey. No mixer needed to make them from scratch! These cookies are made without dairy or eggs, making them perfect for periods of Lent.
These cookies smell so great when they are baking! The fragrance from the spices and petimezi will fill your home with intense aromas of cinnamon and cloves. A batch of moustokouloura in the oven always reminds me of my Mama!
I also love that these cookies are so easy to make. You don’t even need a mixer! The dough is made by hand, which is a fun way to get little kids involved in the kitchen!
Greek butter koulourakia with a chocolate twist
Greek cookies (koulourakia) made with butter and designed with a chocolate twist. These two-toned and two-flavoured cookies have a soft and crumbly texture. They require simple ingredients like cocoa powder, icing sugar, flour, butter and eggs and are easy to make, and even easier to enjoy!
I love how pretty these koulourakia look, and the combination of chocolate and vanilla flavour is so good! The cookies are sturdy enough to be packed into cookie boxes and transported. They make a beautiful holiday gift and can easily be packed into lunch boxes.
These koulourakia, like most, can be made ahead several days before serving. They stay fresh for days, and weeks in the refrigerator. I also often freeze koulourakia for longer storage, and they are still delicious!
Koulourakia with orange (Nistisima)
These nistisima koulourakia with orange are vegan, containing no dairy, eggs or honey. This makes them ideal for a mid-morning snack, an afternoon sweet break, or an after supper dessert during periods of lent…or if you are vegan. They are sweet, crunchy, and hardy enough to withstand repeated dunking in a lovely cup of Greek coffee, mountain tea or milk. It’s no wonder that anyone who tries them, loves them.
There are no complicated techniques in this recipe and no unusual ingredients. What you will notice is that the dough is a bit oily – this is perfect because the dough holds together well. The resulting koulourakia however are not greasy at all; they are perfectly delicious.
Sometimes I like to coat my koulourakia in sessame seeds, but other times I leave them plain. Often times, I do half and half, just for a little easy variety.
Christmas koulourakia with yeast
These Christmas koulourakia with yeast don’t really fit in with the other sweet koulourakia in this list, but I could not leave them out – they are called koulourakia after all! These savoury koulourakia are made in our family especially during Christmas, and they are so fragrant and flavourful – they are definitely worth making a tradition in your home!
This popular recipe from Messinia, Peloponnese is flavoured with orange, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and thyme. They really are so delightful. I like to have them for breakfast, either with a bit of feta, or simply dunked into my coffee. They are dry and so they last for a pretty long time in a well sealed container in the refrigerator. I really do hope you give them a try, even if it is not Christmas time!
More Greek cookie recipes
Koulourakia are a class by themselves, but there are more Greek cookies to enjoy! I think you should definitely explore and try these cookie recipes as well
Amygdalota (Greek almond cookies) Delicious gluten free cookies made with almond flour, egg whites and sugar.
Isli – Greek Christmas cookies stuffed with walnuts Similar to melomakarona, but stuffed with walnuts. This is a very special Greek cookie.
Pear-shaped cookies (Ahladakia) These syrup soaked cookies are shaped like pears, but flavoured with orange!
Kourabiethes The traditional almond shortbread cookies popular during the holidays. Everyone loves these!
