The Koulourakia is a traditional Greek dessert, prepared mainly during the Easter holidays, traditionally prepared on Holy Thursday, the day when Easter preparations begin.
These are buttery cookies with a twisted shape and covered with sesame, which are eaten as an accompaniment to Greek coffee or tea or sweet liqueur.
In some recipes, Mastika, a liqueur obtained from mastic, a resin obtained from the mastic tree, also known as tear of Chios, from the name of the island where it is produced, is used.
Koulourakia are traditionally in the shape of a spiral, but they can be shaped into twisted circles, figure eights, twisted wreaths, horseshoes, or Greek letters.
Often, a clove is added on top of the dough for added flavor.
Mine is a gluten-free version made with rice flour.
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Low
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 30 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Greek
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups Rice flour
- 1/3 cup Rice starch
- 1 cup Sugar
- 7 oz Butter (Melted)
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp Baking powder (or baking soda)
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 2 tbsps Olive oil
- 2 oz Orange juice
- 2 oz Mastika (or brandy)
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1 tbsp Milk
- as needed Sesame seeds
Steps
Start by mixing the melted butter with the sugar, working until you get a soft cream.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add the vanilla, milk, liqueur, and olive oil.
Mix until you get a homogeneous mixture.
In a separate bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder and a pinch of salt.
Gradually add the flour to the liquid mixture, stirring until a compact and smooth dough is formed. If necessary, add more flour, little by little, until you obtain a consistency that is not sticky, but soft.
Take small portions of dough and form rolls about 6 inches long. Then, twist them into the typical “S” shape or ring or “braid,” which is the traditional shape for Koulourakia.
Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Beat the egg yolk with a tablespoon of milk and gently brush each cookie.
Sprinkle each cookie with sesame seeds.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until the cookies are golden on the surface. If the oven is ventilated, bake at 320°F
