Best Koulourakia - Greek vanilla swirl cookies aka Easter Cookies

butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Coconut oil adds a unique flavor and is dairy-free.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Honey provides natural sweetness with added flavor.

eggs

🥗Healthier: flaxseed meal

💰Cheaper: egg substitute

Flaxseed meal is a vegan alternative that binds well.

vanilla extract

🥗Healthier: vanilla bean

💰Cheaper: imitation vanilla

Vanilla bean enhances flavor without synthetic additives.

Add 1 pound of partially melted butter to a bowl of a stand mixer.

Add 3 cups of sugar to the butter and mix for 5-10 minutes until fluffy and pale, reaching the ribbon stage.

Add 9 egg yolks to the mixture and continue to beat until smooth and creamy.

In a separate bowl, beat 9 egg whites until soft to medium peaks are formed.

Add the beaten egg whites to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing gently to incorporate.

Warm 1 cup of milk to body temperature and add 2 teaspoons of baking ammonia, keeping your face away from the fumes.

Pour the milk mixture into the butter and sugar mixture.

Add 5 cups of flour, 3 tablespoons of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla powder to the mixture and mix until combined.

Continue adding flour until the dough is soft and pliable, resembling play-doh.

Let the dough sit for 1 hour before shaping.

After resting, shape the dough into a log about 10 inches long for the first cookie shape, which is a double coil.

Twist one end of the log in one direction and the other end in the opposite direction to form the double coil shape.

For another shape, bring the two ends of the log together, twist, and tap down.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bake the cookies until lightly golden, ensuring they are not too dark, with a nice brown bottom.

Optionally, glaze the cookies with a beaten egg yolk mixed with a little water and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens