Koulourakia are traditional Greek butter cookies made at Easter and are great to make with the kiddies for family and friends to enjoy on Easter Sunday. Flavoured with orange zest and vanilla these are perfect to enjoy any time of year and here at the bakery we offer them year round. There are different variations with sesame seeds and we even make them marbled with a little cocoa powder added to a portion of the dough before shaping them into either twists or rounds.
Ingredients
• 250g butter
• 2 cups of sugar
• 13g bakers ammonia powder
• 1/2 cup lukewarm milk
• 4 eggs
• 2g vanilla crystals
• Zest of one orange
• 1kg all-purpose flour
• 2 egg yolks
• 1tbsp water
Using either a stand or hand mixter cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Warm the milk and add the bakers ammonia, stir to dissolve.
Add eggs to the creamed butter one at a time and incorporate before adding the next egg.
Add vanilla powder.
Add orange zest.
Add the ammonia milk mixture and combine.
Add the flour a little at a time and incorporate. If your mixer has a dough hook you can use it here otherwise once the flour is combined remove from mixer and kneed for about 2-5 minutes and set aside for 30 minutes to rest.
In a bowl mix egg yolks with water to make an egg wash.
After the dough has rested, take a small piece and roll out into a cord about 7 inches long. Then shape your cookies by folding and twisting together or in an S shape or really any shape you like.
Brush egg wash over the cookies covering completely and bake in the oven at 400F for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Enjoy!