Koulourakia are traditional Greek butter cookies; a pastry like cookie, crisp on the outside tender and buttery on the inside, with a hint of cinnamon and vanilla — the perfect dunking cookie! These butter cookies are mouthwatering and perfect to kick off the holiday baking season, but I’ll let you in on a secret, they are delicious any time of the year.
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!
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. Preheat oven to 375°F and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
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 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. Store in airtight container on the counter up to 7 days or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Notes
TIPS & TRICKS
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