Koulourakia recipe (Greek Easter cookies) (2024)

in ***Most liked recipes***, Baked, Beginner, Desserts, Mainland Greece, Our hand picked recipes, Tea and Coffee nibbles, Traditional Greek Easter recipes

Jump to Recipe

The fluffiest and crunchiest Greek Easter cookies (koulourakia) you have ever tasted! These sweet little Greek Easter cookies are super quick to bake, so much fun to make and highly addictive to eat! So consider yourself warned 🙂Serve over a hot cup of Greek coffee and you have a match made in heaven!

This is the exact recipe my grandmother used to make Greek Koulourakia every Easter and I’m excited to share it with you to recreate this delicious traditional delight from scratch!

This recipe makes 80 of these delicious festive Greek Easter cookies which are plenty for everyone to try. And the best part? You will have tons of fun with the whole family kneadingthe koulourakia into braids, boats, little ‘S’s and so forth! Your imagination is the limit!

Koulourakia (Greek Easter cookies) – what leavening agent to use?

Greek koulourakia recipes are characterised by a butter base, shiny egg glaze (which makes them beautifully golden brown) and one of three potentialleavening agents to make them fluffy and airy.

Nowadays most koulourakia recipes call for baking powder and baking sodaas a leavening agent,but experience has shown me that nothing compares to the traditional koulourakia recipe, which calls for baking ammonia.

Bakers ammonia (ammonium carbonate) was the primary rising agent used in baking, before baking powder and baking soda was invented. Baking ammonia makes the koulourakia amazingly airy and crunchy and, compared to other rising agents, their crispness will last longer. Also they won’t crack on the outside and they will keep that deliciously smooth texture!

Tip: If you have trouble finding baking ammonia, you could substitute with double acting baking powder (1:1 proportion). You could also replace all purpose flour and ammonia with self rising flour. Alsodon’t forget to open a window while baking as the ammonia smell can be strong but it will dissipate once the cookies are cooked.

How to shape your Greek Easter cookies?

Shaping the Greek Easter cookies is really easy. Just pinch off a small ball of the dough (approx. 1 inch/3cm in diameter) and roll it into a rope. You can then try to:

Twist it into “braids”
Fold them in 3 to form little boats
Shape into an S
Or just let your imagination run wild and formthe dough in any shape you like!

Other delicious Greek Easter traditions to explore

As most holidays in Greece revolve around food, Greek Easter is no exception!These are the days when households are preparing delicious meals for the Easter Sunday and are making all these delicious traditional Greek recipes! So go ahead, explore them all below!

Tsoureki (Greek Easter bread)
Easy Tsoureki in a bread machine
Greek style roast lamb with potatoes
Kontosouvli (spit roasted bbq pork)
Magiritsa (Greek Easter soup)
Dyed Greek Easter eggs
Lazarakia breads
Greek olive oil cookies

Finally why not check out my other delicious Greek Easter Recipes here and let me know what you think!

Koulourakia recipe (Greek Easter cookies)

(851 votes, average: 4.52 out of 5)Loading...

Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
Prep Time: 40 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 80 pieces 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Greek

Print Recipe

Description

The fluffiest and crunchiest traditional Greek Easter cookies recipe (koulourakia) you have ever made! These sweet little Greek Easter cookies are super quick to bake, so much fun to make and highly addictive to eat! Discover how to bake them to perfection with this traditional Greek recipe.

Ingredients

Scale

250g butter (8.8 oz.)
1 1/2 cup plain white sugar
13g powderedbaking ammonia(2.5 tsp, flat). If you have trouble finding baking ammonia, or you don’t like the taste, you could substitute with 2.5tsp double acting baking powder.
1/2 cup lukewarm milk (130ml)
4 medium eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
zest of 1 orange
1kg all-purpose (plain) flour (35 oz.)
2 egg yolks and 1 tbsp water for glazing the koulourakia

Similar recipes you may like!

Greek Moustokouloura recipe…
Greek Almond Cookies Recipe (Ergolavi)
Greek Olive Oil Cookies…
Lazarakia bread recipe (Greek…

Instructions

To prepare this traditional koulourakia recipe, start by mixing the butter and sugar. In a mixer’s bowl add the sugar and butter (chopped) and mix for about 10-15 minutes, until the butter is creamy and fluffy. (Once starting to prepare this koulourakia recipe, make sure that the butter is at room temperature).
In the meantime warm the milk until lukewarm and remove the pot from the heat. Add the ammonia and whisk until fully dissolved. Set aside.
In the butter-sugar mixture, add the eggs one at a time, whilst mixing, allowing time for each one to be absorbed, before adding another. Pour in the the vanilla extract, the orange zest and themilk & ammonia blendand mix to combine. Add the flour, a little bit at a time, whilst mixing, until the ingredients are combined and the dough is soft and not too sticky.
Cover the dough for the koulourakia with some plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
Place the dough for the koulourakia on a clean working surface, take a small piece of dough and form long cords. Shape the koulourakia with your hands, giving them any shape you like.
Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and place the koulourakia, leaving some distance between them as they will rise a lot when baked. For this koulourakia recipe, you will need approx. 4-5 large baking trays, depending on the size of the cookies you make.
In a small bowl add the egg yolks and 1 tbsp water and whisk with a fork. Brush the top of the koulourakia and bake in preheated oven at 200C/400F fan for 15-20 minutes, until fully cooked and golden brown on the outside (or the ammonia would not have been fully used up).
Let the koulourakia cool down completely on a cooling rack and store in airtight containers for up to three weeks.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 88kcal
Sugar: 3.9g
Sodium: 4.9mg
Fat: 3g
Saturated Fat: 1.7g
Unsaturated Fat: 1.1g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 13.6g
Fiber: 0.4g
Protein: 1.7g
Cholesterol: 19.5mg

Recipe image gallery:

Oh and you can always read this delicious recipe in Greek here Αφράτα Πασχαλινά κουλουράκια με αμμωνία.

66 Comments

paraskevi
August 24, 2014 at 15:08 ·Reply

Amazing I used self raising flour and they turned out so soft and fluffy
- Eli K. Giannopoulos
  August 25, 2014 at 13:30 ·Reply
  
  Hi Paraskevi
  Indeed, self raising flour is perfect for this recipe! Just skip the baking ammonia which has a similar effect. Glad you loved them 🙂
  Love
  Eli
Mina Nodaros
April 3, 2015 at 12:39 ·Reply

What is the meAsurement of one glass in cups? Also why no baking powder or soda. The ammonia is enough for them to rise?
- Mina Nodaros
  April 3, 2015 at 13:29 ·Reply
  
  never mind I see your recipe uses cups. I will try this today! thanks for this recipe!
  - Eli K. Giannopoulos
    April 4, 2015 at 12:56
    
    your welcome Mina. Be warned on the ammonia though, 1.5 tea spoons is enough. Alternatively you can use baking powder. Love, Eli
Fran
April 4, 2015 at 14:52 ·Reply

Elli, this looks divine! I cannot get the ammonia in time to bake these can I just use the same amount of baking powder?
- Eli K. Giannopoulos
  April 30, 2016 at 17:04 ·Reply
  
  Just replace the flour with self raising flour and skip the ammonia altogether. No need to use anything else.
  - Labrini
    January 9, 2017 at 23:18
    
    How many cups is 1 kg flour? When i convert it online it says 10 cups which sounds way too much ?
Kantonopuolos
April 5, 2015 at 01:01 ·Reply

The cookies did not look like the pictures , they were a white color , any suggestions . I baked them at 400 degrees, second rack from bottom .
- Eli K. Giannopoulos
  See Also
  Easy Sugar-Free Pavlova Recipe (Keto Friendly)Extra Fluffy Protein Pancakes (40g Protein!) - The Big Man's World ®Vegan Crispy BBQ Broccoli Tacos Hawaiian Butter Mochi with Coconut Milk & Sweet Rice Flour
  April 8, 2015 at 11:41 ·Reply
  
  Maybe they needed a little longer in the oven.. Did you use the egg to brush them over?
  Love
  Eli
Dora
April 7, 2015 at 05:46 ·Reply

Made these kouloria also with self raising flour everyone loved them love your recipies!
- Eli K. Giannopoulos
  April 8, 2015 at 11:41 ·Reply
  
  Ah thank you Dora 🙂
Eli K. Giannopoulos
April 8, 2015 at 11:40 ·Reply

Hi Tassia
It was a typo..
Love
Eli
haylee Sarris
April 10, 2015 at 12:44 ·Reply

Sorry would like to know do you completely change plain flour for self raising I made this and they tasted fantastic but where very hard
- Sylvia
  April 14, 2015 at 12:00 ·Reply
  
  Mine were white and also very hard and threw them out. Made another batch with self raising flour, with no ammonia & no baking powder and they were perfect.
  - Andi
    April 19, 2023 at 09:08
    
    Hi Eli …
    Since 80 is A LOT of cookies for the 2 of us …. Can I cut the recipe in HALF ??
- DIonysia
  April 14, 2019 at 14:16 ·Reply
  
  When you say hard, do you mean very crunchy, or tough?? Thanks!
Toula
August 1, 2015 at 23:09 ·Reply

Made these last night and they were the best I’ve ever made thanks for the recipe. Have tried several recipes over the past years and this is definitely a keeper.
- DIonysia
  April 14, 2019 at 14:18 ·Reply
  
  Did you stick to the recipe exactly, or swap out the flour for Self Rising? I’m about to bake these in a little while, and would like to know. Thanks!
Millie
September 13, 2015 at 14:11 ·Reply

I made the easter cookies they are delish
Yumm
December 16, 2015 at 18:32 ·Reply

Can you tell me how much baking powder or soda to use in place of the ammonia?
- Eli K. Giannopoulos
  April 30, 2016 at 17:05 ·Reply
  
  Just replace the flour with self raising flour and skip the ammonia altogether. No need to use anything else.
Moska
February 6, 2016 at 09:27 ·Reply

Eli, I have been searching for a recipe like this for a long time. Finally I found it.
My family when crazy over them. Brilliant recipe and so easy. I did make it with the SR flour. I didn’t have any oranges so I put a little cinnamon. Delicious!!!! Thanks Eli!
- Maria
  February 3, 2024 at 04:30 ·Reply
  
  Oh my goodness thanks I don’t have any oranges so I was thinking of getting up early on the morning go to supermarket and then do them before work thanks for letting us know can I use all purpose flower?
Nav
February 15, 2016 at 13:07 ·Reply

Made them over the weekend using self raising flour and they turned out to be perfect. Thank you for such a simple yet perfect recipe
Nav
February 15, 2016 at 13:08 ·Reply

Made them over the weekend using self raising flour and they turned out to be perfect. Thank you for such an easy and perfect recipe!
sofia hansen
April 17, 2016 at 18:20 ·Reply

Your recipe is good , but where I come from in no way do we use orange juice or zest for Easter koulouria , there is a *portokali* koulouri .
- Britt Petras
  December 1, 2019 at 19:16 ·Reply
  
  My family comes from Salonika and they use orange for these cookies. I’ve never had to make them myself but now I will.
Sue
April 18, 2016 at 22:44 ·Reply

I plan to use self rising flour. Do I eliminate the milk too? Or just the ammonia?

See Also
Suuuper Fudgy Gluten Free, Paleo & Keto Brownies 🍫
Georgia
April 26, 2016 at 02:05 ·Reply

How much self rising flour would you use and what ingredient do you replace with? I noticed many using self rising flour but what did they skip?
- Eli K. Giannopoulos
  April 30, 2016 at 17:05 ·Reply
  
  Just replace the flour with self raising flour and skip the ammonia altogether. No need to use anything else.
Helen
April 30, 2016 at 12:32 ·Reply

These are perfect, the best recipe I have found so far. I made them with self raising flour and didn’t add the ammonia
Georgia
May 16, 2016 at 09:26 ·Reply

If I use the self rising flour…. Do not still use the milk????
- Eli K. Giannopoulos
  June 2, 2016 at 13:26 ·Reply
  
  I think you’ll still going to need the milk even with self raising flour 🙂
Alison
September 18, 2016 at 17:30 ·Reply

Hi, what is the measurement for sugar in grams please and the milk in mls?
Many thanks
fae
April 4, 2017 at 05:28 ·Reply

Im a bit confused – does this ‘bakers bowl’ consist of an electric whisk? how do i combine the ingredients together?
- admin
  April 15, 2017 at 10:16 ·Reply
  
  I usually use a kenwood chef when baking 🙂
Georgia H
April 11, 2017 at 21:50 ·Reply

I followed the recipe but the dough became crumbly with the amount of flour specified. What did I do wrong?
- admin
  April 15, 2017 at 10:12 ·Reply
  
  Probably your flour was a little stronger than what I used when making the recipe – next time try adding the flour a little at a time and keep an eye out for the texture of the dough. If it gets too hard stop adding flour. If you’ve added too much, try adding a bit more butter to soften the dough.
Dav
September 30, 2017 at 21:57 ·Reply

When rolling the dough into ropes, how thick should the ropes be? What diameter?
Anita
March 8, 2018 at 07:22 ·Reply

Just wondering if i can substitute the milk with orange juice?
Cat
March 17, 2018 at 13:45 ·Reply

I am planning on making these for my (Greek) Father in Lae for Easter. I have managed to track down the baking ammonia so I hope they taste as good as his Nona used to make. My question is what is the traditional shape of a koulourakia or isn’t there one?
Arti
April 4, 2018 at 04:19 ·Reply

i made the other day and im not greek…i accidently used wholemeal plain flour and used baking powder they taste good but are a little dence… i did the ropes but they turned out like pretty large buscuits… is there a particular share or size they need to be?
Annisa
April 5, 2018 at 02:22 ·Reply

Can I make and refrigerate the dough the night before and roll them in the morning?
Britt Petras
December 1, 2019 at 19:19 ·Reply

How much does the dough for each cookie weigh? I’m trying to figure out how much to use for each to make a good size?
Amalia
October 28, 2020 at 18:53 ·Reply

Would it be possible to have the recipe in grams instead of cups?
Thankyou!
Maria
December 29, 2020 at 00:22 ·Reply

Hi there. I just made these trying to replicate my late mother’s koulourakia. Here’s we’re always crisp and delicious. I followed you’re recipe exactly yet the smell of ammonia is intense. I’ve baked them golden as my mom did. Bottoms are fully brushed. Dough raised tremendously. They still smell a lot like ammonia even being out of the oven for twenty minutes. Any idea why???
- Eli K. Giannopoulos
  January 19, 2021 at 11:16 ·Reply
  
  Baking ammonia breaks down in the oven. It may take an hour or so out of the oven before they are completely smell free. Alternatively they may need a little bit extra baking.
Shadé Sidihakis
April 4, 2021 at 04:21 ·Reply

I just made these for my family for Easter and they taste exactly like the koulourakia my yiayia made.
Thank you so much for this recipe and have a happy Easter!
- Eli K. Giannopoulos
  April 14, 2021 at 14:29 ·Reply
  
  Your welcome Shade! I’m so glad you liked my Koulourakia recipe!!
Mark
April 13, 2021 at 07:38 ·Reply

Hey mate, what kind of sugar is used in this recipe? Would I just be able to use raw sugar or do I need to use white sugar? Cheers
- Eli K. Giannopoulos
  April 14, 2021 at 14:15 ·Reply
  
  Hi Mark
  Its regular plain white sugar!
John
April 17, 2021 at 01:27 ·Reply

Is the amount of ammonia too much? I used this amount and the smell was overwhelming.
- Eli K. Giannopoulos
  April 17, 2021 at 14:09 ·Reply
  
  Hi John! Do you mean the smell while they are baking? This is normal. After baking them the cookies will become smell free. It is important though to dissolve the baking ammonia in lukewarm milk and also for the cookies to cook through when baking – they need to turn golden brown :)!
Lelia Panagopoulos
April 22, 2021 at 01:25 ·Reply

I live in America and just made the cookies using self rising flour. They baked very well but were very salty. I did not add any salt. I just learned that the seed rising flour in America has a lot of salt in it. It appears self rising has salt added and self raising does not.
Anna
April 29, 2021 at 08:41 ·Reply

How much orange zest do I need? From the whole orange or just a side? Do you use orange juice also?
- Eli K. Giannopoulos
  April 29, 2021 at 16:05 ·Reply
  
  Hi Anna, its the zest from one whole orange. No juice needed!
Victoria Constan
May 1, 2021 at 13:38 ·Reply

When I’ve made them before I used a recipe our priests wife gave us and it uses Cake flour. They turn out so nice.. now i want to make them.right now…
- Eli K. Giannopoulos
  May 3, 2021 at 11:44 ·Reply
  
  Go ahead and don’t forget to send me a picture @mygreekdish on instagram :)!
Kristen
December 26, 2021 at 16:55 ·Reply

These cookies are fabulous! I made them every year for Christmas and give them to friends and neighbors even though they’re an Easter cookie. You are my go to Greek recipe website. Ευχαριστούμε!
Kathie O.
April 15, 2022 at 06:53 ·Reply

Can you half this recipe?
Karen koukounas
April 18, 2022 at 03:52 ·Reply

Hi do you know if I can put the dough in the fridge overnight to roll in the morning or better to leave out on the counter. Thank you so much
- Eli K. Giannopoulos
  April 20, 2022 at 12:52 ·Reply
  
  Best to pop it in the fridge, but take it out an hour or so before shaping them, to allow the dough to warm up to room temperature.
Agnes
April 1, 2023 at 22:51 ·Reply

I have only plain flour to use is that okay? Or do I need self rising?
Maria
February 3, 2024 at 04:31 ·Reply

Can I use bleached all purpose flower and skip the oranges as well?
Mercene Tarace
April 24, 2024 at 16:49 ·Reply

What alcohol with OJ? Ouzo,Sambouka AND SUB sugar with Stevia?

Sign up to Our Newsletter

Over the past 8 years you have made My Greek Dish the number one destination for anyone searching for authentic Greek recipes! For that I cannot thank you enough!

It all started with an idea… To collate and publish all those recipes that I loved when I was young, the ones I made with so much love for my children and grand children!

So go ahead, explore my delicious collections and don’t forget to leave me a comment, connect with me on Facebook or Instagram and sign up to my mailing list so you never miss out on my latest creations!

With love,Eli

Explore more…

BEEF: Melt in the mouth beef recipes!
CHICKEN: Delicious chicken recipes!
PORK: Pork chops, gyros and more!
LAMB: My very best lamb dishes!
SEAFOOD: Fish and seafood recipes!
PASTA: Quick and easy pasta recipes!
CHEESE: Feta, Halloumi, Pies and more!
SALADS: Greek salads? Yes please!
SIDES: The perfect match for your mains!
DESSERTS: Got a sweet tooth? Try these!