Colored Easter Cookies
- Easy
- 1 h 40 min
Greek Easter biscuits, or Koulourakia, bring out the sweet and golden side of holiday baking. These traditional Greek cookies are super super important during Greek Easter celebrations. Really, they’re everywhere. Twisted braids, little rings, or spirals—the kids love helping out. Pretty simple. It’s not just about the food; it’s the whole family in the kitchen, rolling dough, making a mess, and laughing together. And the smell? Oh man, that aromatic scent of orange and vanilla fills the house. You know something really really good is coming out of the oven. Making them feels like a ritual—everyone’s got their own twist, and there's a bit of competition to see whose turns out best.
And listen, when those Greek Easter biscuits come out, they’re crispy on the outside and moist inside. Thank the butter and eggs for that. Which is great. They’re perfect for breakfast after Easter, especially dunked in coffee or milk. Plus, folks in Greece often gift them because these traditional Greek cookies have that homemade charm. Seriously good. It’s common to see piles of them on tables. Each bite brings back festive feelings of Greek Easter. You know, different regions add their own twist—like extra orange zest or sesame seeds—but the fun of shaping them is the same everywhere.
When you think about how to make Koulourakia, it’s less about complex baking and more about hanging out, enjoying the sweet smells, and waiting for that first tender bite. The cookies go beyond just dessert—they really capture Greek Easter’s spirit. They’re not just treats; they’re tradition. Bringing families together, year after year, these cookies are pretty much a piece of the celebration itself.
To prepare the Greek Easter cookies, first pour the eggs and olive oil into a large bowl 1, then begin to mix with a whisk as you add the sugar 2. Add the grated lemon zest 3,
the lemon juice 4, ground coriander 5, and salt 6. Mix again.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder 7. Slowly add 2/3 of the dry ingredients (about 3 1/3 cups) 8, mixing with a whisk 9.
Then add the remaining dry ingredients (about 1 2/3 cups) 10 and work with your hands 11 until you obtain a soft and homogeneous dough. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 10 minutes 12.
After this time, take about 2 1/4 oz of dough and form a rope about 1/2 inch in diameter and about 12 inches long 13: fold it in half and twist the two strands 14 to create a kind of braid, which you will place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 15.
Take another portion of dough and do the same, but this time join the ends of the braid to form a small ring 16. Alternatively, you can simply roll the rope on itself to form a spiral 17. Continue in this way until the dough is used up, shaping the cookies as you like, then brush them with the egg yolk and cream mixture 18.
Finally, garnish all or part of the cookies with sesame seeds 19. Bake in a preheated static oven at 356°F for 35 minutes. When they are nicely golden 20, remove from the oven and let cool, after which your Greek Easter cookies are ready to be enjoyed 21!