Koulourakia (Greek Butter Cookies) are the ultimate Greek Twist Cookies! Crispy on the outside, tender and buttery on the inside, these traditional pastries boast hints of cinnamon and vanilla. Perfect for dunking and ideal for holiday baking—or enjoying year-round!
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Why You’ll Love These Greek Twist Cookies
Are you a cookie dunker? I sure am—cookie dunkers unite! These buttery, crisp Koulourakia are made for dunking in your favorite coffee or tea!
This recipe comes from my friend Mimi, an amazing baker who always shares the best. They’re in her new book The Mountain Baker: 100 High Altitude Recipes for Every Occasion—whether you bake at high altitude or sea level! Mimi has a fun name for these too—she calls them Koloodia Cookies (there’s a story behind that in the book).
Why make these cookies? Well, they’re buttery, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and fun to make! Twisting the dough is a blast for all ages so this is a great baking project to do with kids or grandkids. And they’re just as good for dunking in coffee as for impressing friends at a holiday party.
I was lucky growing up to have amazing Greek friends (yes, I even went to Greek camp as a kid!). My neighbors and dear Greek friends confirm these are the real deal—just like my family-loved Baklava recipe! With a hint of cinnamon and vanilla these cookies have the traditional flavors and techniques of a Greek classic.
The Mountain Baker by Mimi and Kimmy has all kinds of recipes like this one that are easy to make, altitude adaptable and have gluten-free and vegan options. Whether you’re looking for a new holiday cookie or a year round snack these will become a family favorite!
If you are a cookbook lover like I am, you might also love Mimi’s Cookies for Everyone cookbook! Check out all of my favorite cookbooks here — great gifts for bakers!
What Does Koulourakia Mean?
Koulourakia (pronounced koo-loo-RAH-kee-ah) are named after the larger koulouri, the sesame covered bread rings you find on the streets or at breakfast in Greece. Koulouria are hearty and savory, koulourakia are their sweet, buttery, festive cousin.
I asked some of my Greek friends and they told me that these cookies are not just an Easter treat, they are a staple at every holiday, from Christmas to family gatherings. These cookies are hand shaped into fun twists, braids and loops, so they are as pretty as they are delicious.
Koulourakia are traditionally brushed with an egg wash for a shiny finish and topped with sesame seeds for a light crunch. With their crispy edges, soft centres and warm vanilla and citrus notes they are perfect to enjoy with coffee or tea. No Greek celebration is complete without a plate of these cookies and once you try them you will see why!
Authentic Greek Easter Cookies
Are these authentic Greek butter cookies? Absolutely! Mimi’s recipe comes straight from her YiaYia (grandma in Greek). Her family has always called them Koloodia cookies, a name they’ve used for generations. It wasn’t until writing her cookbook that she learned the traditional Greek word is Koulourakia—but they still lovingly call them Koloodias. Stories like that make recipes even more special!
To ensure authenticity, I asked our wonderful Greek neighbors to taste test these cookies. Here’s their feedback:
- Traditional Koulourakia they’ve made are typically smaller (but they loved the larger size here!).
- They’re usually a bit drier, perfect for dunking.
- The texture and flavor were spot on, with the spices balanced beautifully.
- Like many cherished family recipes, there are countless variations passed down over generations.
Their verdict? A resounding 10 out of 10!
Greek Butter Cookie Ingredients
- Water | I used filtered water
- Cinnamon sticks | I use cinnamon sticks in various recipes, so I buy them in bulk.
- Salted butter | The real deal, if it is soft coming out of the fridge, it’s not real butter
- Cane sugar |I used unbleached all natural cane sugar
- Vanilla extract | the pure stuff, make your own vanilla and stop paying the high prices!
- Cake flour | I happened to have a box of Swan’s in my freezer* but would have preferred to use White Pastry Flour, mainly because it’s unbleached.
- All-Purpose Flour | I use this one the most often as I buy in bulk from Costco
- Eggs | I always use large eggs in my baking, typically free range
- Baking Powder | just a touch, original European recipes used baking ammonia (or ammonium bicarbonate) which is not used very often, it is a traditional leavening agent, which we replace 1:1 with baking powder.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Store specialty and whole grain flours, grains, and rice in the fridge or freezer to extend their shelf life—typically up to 6 months in the fridge and up to a year in the freezer.
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How to Make Koulourakia Greek Butter Cookies
Step 1 – Cinnamon Water (make 1-2 days ahead)
I loved that Mimi’s recipe has a secret ingredient, what I am calling a cinnamon water reduction. I made this reduction the day ahead, so it had plenty of time to cool before adding it to the dough.
Add water and cinnamon sticks to a small saucepan and bring to a rapid boil, over medium heat, reducing to simmer once boiling. Once the water has reduced by about ½ remove from heat. It’s better to boil off too much water than not enough, you want the flavor of the cinnamon to shine through. If you do boil too much off, simply add cool water to bring to ½ a cup. Cool completely!
Step 2 – Make Koulourakia Dough
This dough is soft, pliable and a tiny bit sticky, like a traditional sugar cookie dough or similar to my Frosted Sugar Cookie Bar dough.
Using a mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the soft butter, vanilla and cane sugar mixing until smooth and combined on low. You don’t want any chunks of butter remaining.
Whisk together in a large separate bowl, cake flour, all-purpose flour and baking powder.
With the mixer on low, add eggs to the butter mixture, then add the flour mixture alternating with a little of the cooled cinnamon water until it comes together and forms a soft, smooth dough.
Step 3 – Shape Dough
Using your hands or a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop (makes the cookies come out pretty evenly) scoop a generous heaping portion of dough (about 1.5 oz or 45 grams) and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Roll into ball and then into about 7″ long ropes, form a “U” shape, then cross one side over the other and twist twice. Place twists onto parchment lined baking sheet, one inch a part.
Bake at 375°F (190° C) for 17-18 minutes for high altitude and about 20 minutes for sea level until golden brown on edges and bottom. Allow to cool completely on baking sheets.
Storage Tips
Store in airtight container on the counter up to 7 days or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Make Ahead and Freezing Tips
I didn’t test freezing this dough but it’s similar to sugar cookie dough which freezes great. If you’re planning ahead or want to save time during the holidays here’s how to freeze this dough:
- Pre-roll the Dough: Roll the dough into balls of the desired size for easy shaping later.
- Wrap and Store: Wrap the pre-rolled dough balls in parchment paper and store in an airtight container or heavy duty freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn.
- Freeze: Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Label the container with the date.
- Thaw Before Shaping: When ready to use, take the dough out of the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator until firm but workable. Once thawed, shape the dough into twists, braids or whatever design you like and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake as Directed: Bake according to the recipe instructions. No adjustments needed!
Pro Tip: If you prefer you can also freeze fully shaped, unbaked cookies. Place on a parchment lined tray, freeze until solid (about 1 hour) and then transfer to an airtight container. When baking straight from frozen add a minute or two to the bake time.
This method is perfect for preparing ahead for holiday baking marathons or cookie exchanges!
Success Tips for the Best Greek Twist Cookies
- Refrigerating the dough for 10 minutes after portioning into dough balls made it much easier to shape them into their traditional twists, resulting in more uniform cookies.
- I tested refrigerating the dough after shaping and baking it straight from the fridge. The results were nearly identical, so feel free to skip that step and pop them right into the oven!
- Make them smaller for more cookies—perfect for larger Easter celebrations or Christmas cookie exchanges! Just reduce the baking time, checking around 10–12 minutes. Plus, these are a fun cookie for kids to help shape and bake!
- Get creative with the shapes—try rings, crescents, twists with a few or many twists, or even an ‘S’ shape!
- For a traditional touch, brush the cookies with an egg glaze (whisk 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water) before baking. If you’d like, sprinkle with sesame seeds for added flavor and texture.
FAQs Greek Twist Cookies
Mimi’s recipe did not have an egg glaze and are sesame seed free; making them a bit easier. Traditionally they are glazed with an egg wash and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
This recipe makes 40 good sized cookies, you can certainly opt to use smaller amounts of dough making them smaller, just reduce your baking time accordingly, starting to check them at about 10-12 minutes.
Koulourakia are traditional Greek butter cookies known for their unique twisted shapes and subtle flavors. Unlike most cookies, they’re less sweet and have a crisp yet tender texture, making them perfect for dunking in coffee or tea.
Absolutely! Koulourakia are great for making ahead. They store beautifully in an airtight container for up to two weeks and freeze well for even longer. This makes them ideal for holiday prep or gifting.
I hope you loved this recipe for Koulourakia or Greek Butter Cookies as much as our family did and start a new tradition this Christmas or Easter, or anytime you need a delicious cookie!
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Greek Butter Cookies (Koulourakia)
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Ingredients
- 1 cup water filtered is best
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 2 cups salted butter softened to room temperature (4 sticks)
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar I used all natural cane sugar, white sugar may be used
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract plus 1 teaspoon
- 5 cups cake flour spoon and level for scant 5 cups; or white pastry flour
- 1 ⅔ cups flour plus 2 tablespoons; I use organic all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
Make Cinnamon Infused Water (up to 2 days ahead)
- Add water and cinnamon sticks to a small saucepan and bring to a rapid boil, over medium heat. Once the water has reduced by about ½ remove from heat. It's better to boil off too much water than not enough, you want the flavor of the cinnamon to shine through. If you do boil too much off, simply add cool water to bring to ½ a cup. Cool completely!1 cup water, 2 sticks cinnamon
- Using a mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the soft butter, vanilla and cane sugar mixing until smooth and combined on low. You don’t want any chunks of butter remaining.
- Whisk together in a large separate bowl; cake flour, all-purpose flour and baking powder.5 cups cake flour, 1 ⅔ cups flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- With the mixer on low, add eggs to the butter mixture, then add the flour mixture alternating with a little of the cooled cinnamon water until it comes together and forms a soft, smooth dough. Preheat oven to 375°F and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.2 large eggs
- Using your hands or a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop (makes the cookies come out pretty evenly) scoop a generous heaping portion of dough (about 1.5 oz or 45 grams) and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Roll into ball and then into about 7" long ropes, form a "U" shape, then cross one side over the other and twist twice. Place twists onto parchment lined baking sheet, one inch a part.
- Bake at 375°F (190° C) for 17-18 minutes for high altitude and about 20 minutes for sea level or until golden brown on the edges and bottom. Allow to cool completely on baking sheets. Store in airtight container on the counter up to 7 days or up to 3 months in the freezer.
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Notes
- I found refrigerating the dough for 10 minutes after portioning into dough balls made it easier and more uniform to shape these into their traditional twists..
- I experimented with refrigerating the dough after shaping, as well as placed them straight into the hot oven. The results were almost identical, so go ahead and pop them right in the oven.
- Make them smaller! Yielding a lot more cookies, great for larger Easter celebrations or Christmas cookie exchanges. Reduce baking time checking at about 10-12 minutes or so. These are also a fun cookie for kids to help make.
- Shape into a variety of shapes; try rings, crescents, twists with lots of twists or two twists, or an "S" shape.
- Brush them with an egg glaze; whisk 1 egg with a tablespoon of water, brush on top of Koulourakia dough before baking, if desired sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Make Ahead & Freezing Tips
- Pre-roll the dough into desired size balls, wrap in parchment paper, then place in airtight freezer container getting out as much air as possible. Store dough in freezer up to 3 months.
- When ready to roll and shape the dough, thaw in refrigerator until dough is workable. Shape as desired into twists and place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake as directed
Nutrition
Julie Menghini
I’ve never heard of a cinnamon reduction but it sure made a huge difference when we made these delicious soft and tender cookies!
Tasia ~ two sugar bugs
I’m already a cookie baking fool at the holidays, but I think I need to add these cookies to my Christmas cookie list this year! They look and sound insanely delish!!
Haha!! Yes you are my friend, you will love these and I think your little bugs will enjoy them too!