Koulourakia with a twist!

When I think of Greek Easter, I think of koulourakia (Greek Easter cookies), which are, I must say, my favorites. The buttery cookies with hints of orange, lemon, or even ouzo aromas are simply irresistible. After drinking some Greek coffee the other day, I thought, why not infuse Greek coffee into the koulourakia dough? I did just that and tested it over 40 times to make sure I got the right flavor from the coffee. This recipe has become a hit around the world, and I am so happy that people really enjoy it! If you love coffee, this recipe is a must try for you!

Before we get started I want to include some very important notes:

• Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature before you start mixing the ingredients. This step is crucial because if the butter and eggs are cold, the ingredients won’t blend properly.
• When rolling out the dough into shapes, it’s best to work on a large enough surface. Your coffee dough might be sticky, so if it is lightly dust your surface with flour.
• I like my koulourakia on the crunchier side so I always bake the cookies a bit longer in the oven.
• Speaking of baking, I like to double-wrap my parchment before baking. This ensures the cookies won’t burn on the bottom.
• You can make so many different koulourakia flavors, and I have all of my recipes posted, but I’m working on another flavor today!
• Check out more tips and tricks here

Koulourakia Infused with Greek Coffee Recipe

“One of the BEST koulourakia recipes you’ll ever taste!”

Servings: Makes up to 45 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup of granulated sugar or demerara sugar
• 2 oranges or lemons ( reserve the zest)
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup of whole milk (see notes)
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour plus more for dusting a work surface
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt
• Egg wash ( 1 egg and a few tablespoons of water)
• Sesame seeds (optional)
• Granulated sugar (optional)

Greek Coffee paste:

• 2 tablespoons + more if you want it stronger of Greek coffee (Buy here)
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of warm water

Method:

1. In a mixer bowl add the sugar and orange zest. Gently mix the ingredients together on very low speed. This will release the aromas of the orange zest.
2. Add the butter to the sugar- orange zest mix inside the mixer while on medium speed and mix until the butter is light and creamy. About 5-6 minutes. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so the butter is thoroughly mixed.
3. Add the eggs one at a time on medium-low speed and mix until the mixture is creamy.
4. Add the milk, and vanilla and mix on medium-low.
5. On parchment paper sift the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine then add the flour in 3 different increments. Make sure to fully incorporate the flour into the wet mixture. Just mix to combine and make sure not to over mix. Your dough should be soft and pliable.
6. At this stage cut the dough in half and take one half and cover with plastic wrap and set aside. The other half you will place back in the mixer.
7. In a small bowl mix together the Greek coffee, sugar, and warm water. Mix until it forms a wet paste and then while the mixer is on add the paste to the dough. Mix just until the dough becomes almost like a coffee color. If you want to add more coffee you may do so for a stronger taste. Make sure not to over mix the dough, as that results in a tough cookie.
8. Remove dough from the mixer, and set aside. (If your dough seems too wet, add a little bit of flour and knead just until it’s pliable and ready to roll out.)
9. Take small pieces of dough (size of a nut) to form S-shaped or O-shaped or the twisted shape of koulourakia.
10. Line a baking sheet with two parchment papers and preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Brush the egg wash over the cookies. If you are using sesame seed and or sugar then sprinkle it over now.
11. Place baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven, and bake for about 25-30 minutes until golden brown. I like mine crunchy so I bake mine the full 30 minutes.
12. If you want your cookies on the crunchier side, bake an additional 5 minutes on the top rack.
13. Remove from heat and cool on a wired rack. You can freeze these cookies for up to 2 months in a sealed container.

Kali Orexi!