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Twp Greek easter buttter cookies with a twisted round shape on placed on parchment paper. One behind the other. In Greek they are called Kou lou ra kia

Greek Easter Butter Cookies (koulourakia)

Written by Published on Updated on October 1, 2025 in Cakes, Cookies, Seasonal

Hey there,

I am sharing my Easter cookie recipe in case you missed it and would like to try it out. 🙂

As Greek Easter approaches, it’s that time of year when we gear up for our Greek Easter Butter Cookies (Koulourakia). This year, I decided to try to experiment by adding new ingredients to the traditional cookies. It was time to tweak this cookie, a staple in Greek households for generations.   I’ve used them in the past, but for some reason, I never stuck with them and always returned to the classic recipe. However, this time, I wanted to see if these additions would be a hit again without straying too far from traditional easter cookies.

These cookies have a light, buttery texture with a hint of vanilla and a lovely taste of orange with a golden, slightly crisp exterior.  Vegan butter was my choice once again. I was curious to see how it would affect the texture and flavor of the cookies. Would it keep them just as rich and buttery, or would it change the traditional taste? I was eager to find out! I used specific flour created to bake Tsourekia (Greek Easter Bread), cookies, and other delicious desserts.  But you can use all-purpose flour.

The cookies traditionally have a signature twisted shape, but not everyone follows this shape anymore. I like to create different shapes and sizes but still keep the essence of the Koulourakia.  The three ingredients I added this time were orange zest, orange juice, and masticha (anise seeds).  I  just wanted to mention that the vegan butter is pure magic!!  The cookies turned out just as delicious!!

There is another recipe that most greeks can’t wait to eat. Mageiritsa is a traditional Greek soup, typically eaten on Holy Saturday night after the midnight church marks the end of Lent. Mageiritsa is made from lamb, such as the liver, heart, and intestines.  Fresh herbs like dill and a rich egg-lemon sauce (avgolemono) give the soup a tangy flavor.  Since Greek Orthodox Christians fast for 40 or 60 days before Easter, fasting from meat and dairy, Mageiritsa soup serves as a way to ease the body back into eating richer foods. While many Greeks love it, some, including me, aren’t fans and never will be a fan of the dish. It’s an acquired taste!

These Greek Easter Butter Cookies are a delicious treat all year round, not just for Easter!

Have a wonderful morning/afternoon/evening, everyone!!

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Twp Greek easter buttter cookies with a twisted round shape on placed on parchment paper. One behind the other. In Greek they are called Kou lou ra kia

Greek Easter Butter Cookies (Koulourakia)

foodzesty
Cookies with a rich buttery flavor, with a signature twisted shape, are made once a year for Greek Easter.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Cookies, Snacks
Cuisine Greek
Servings 30 pieces

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer/ hand mixer
  • 2 mixing bowl
  • 1 spatula
  • 1 flour shifter
  • 2 baking pans large
  • 2 sheets of parchment paper
  • measuring spoons
  • measuring cups
  • 1 ice cream scoop

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup vegan butter room temperature
  • 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs large slightly beaten
  • 2 oranges squeezed
  • 2 orange zest
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsbp masticha
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Egg Wash
  • 2 egg yolk
  • 4 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp sugar

Instructions
 

  • Leave the butter and eggs at room temperture.
  • Add the butter into a mixing bowl and whip for 7 to 8 minutes.
  • In a seperate bowl, sift the flour and mix in the baking powder. Gradually add this mixture to the whipped butter and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
  • Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and add the masticha, orange zest, eggs, salt, and vanilla extract. Place the bowl back onto the stand mixer and mix until well combined.
  • Add the baking soda to the orange juice and stir until it bubbles. Once it is activated, pour it into the mixture and continue mixing.
  • Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and gradually add the flour, use your hand to mix gently until fully incorporated.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and chill for one hour.
  • Take one scoop of dough and roll out the dough into an even-size log about 6 inches long.
  • To shape the dough into the classic twist fold the log in half so the two ends meet. Then gently twist the strands together to form the braide.
  • Place on parchment paper and then brush with egg wash.
  • Brush each cookie with the egg wash.
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Keyword buttercookies, easter, Easy

KALI MAS OREXI! 🙂

 

Welcome to a small corner of my Greek Heritage. Growing up in New York from Greek parents, was a challenge of its own...but the traditional food, tastes and aromas that my mother cooked always travelled me back to Greece.My mother is a wonderful cook, our house would always have that smell of home cooked food. I remember very clearly that we were only allowed fast food, once a week, that was a huge day for myself and my brother. Jumping up and down in the back car seat, laughing, just being kids. It is true that we all like to eat different foods, taste, smell, even try food that looks different than our regular meals at home and I think that is so natural.In my teens, I was not really into cooking, I enjoyed my magazines after school, listening to music, and just taking a breather. There were times that I would glance at some of my mom's recipes, more out of curiosity than to actually try to cook them. At that time I did not realise that cooking would become my passion one day. Slowly, I would start to look into my mom's recipes a bit more each day and I started to find it interesting as a hobby. Each month I would go into our neighborhood bookstore and pick up my monthly book, until one day I decided to stroll over into the cooking section. That summer was the first time I actually bought a cooking magazine....and I loved it.Cooking and baking started out as a hobby, but now after many years it is my passion. Exploring the cuisines, the spices, the oils, the scents, the variety of smells and tastes that exist. It was and still is an amazing journey without limits.So, come along with me on this adventure, and I hope you enjoy my recipes.Sophie

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