Greek Easter Cookies
Koulouria: break the fast
Easter is one of the most elaborate holidays celebrated in Greece. The sheer number of festive foods that Greeks associate with this holiday - including hot cross buns, breads such as lambrokouloures and tsoureki, a variety of fresh cheeses, kreatotourta (a meat pie made with mizithra cheese, lamb, mint and cinnamon) and Easter custard - is an indication of the importance the event holds in their culture.
For Greeks, Koulouria, or Easter Cookies, are a deliciously sweet and decadent way to celebrate the end of fasting and denial. Adults and children alike find them to be a favorite cookie for dunking into milk or tea.
These Easter Cookies are butter cookies formed into a variety of shapes, such as circles, coils, figure eights and braids. They are most often sprinkled with almonds, but in some villages the almonds are replaced with sesame seeds. Another traditional Greek cookie, the wine cookie, is fashioned by connecting three strips of dough together at the top or at the bottom, to symbolize the Holy Trinity.
Remember, you don’t have to let tradition dictate your fun - try this recipe for Easter Cookies, and experiment with your own unique shapes!
Recipe
2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup milk
8 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp orange zest
1 egg
- Sift baking powder and flour together and set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Add one egg yolk at a time to the wet mixture, beating well after each one, until all 4 eggs are incorporated. Add milk gradually and mix gently.
- Gradually work dough with hands until it is pliable and smooth. Work in grated orange rind. Add additional flour if needed until the dough is stiff.
- Roll out small portions of dough into pencil-size strips about 11 inches long. Form the desired coil, figure eight, braid or circle shapes from these strips.
- Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and brush tops with beaten egg. Bake at 350 degrees F for 18 - 20 minutes.
