Koulourakia are traditional Greek butter cookies flavored with orange, vanilla, and brandy. Traditionally made around Easter, these cookies are crispy with a tender crumb and go perfect with a cup of coffee!
Preheat oven to 350℉. Line two baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in large bowl with a hand mixer.
Add the eggs and beat until light and creamy, about 2-3 more minutes.
Mix in vanilla extract, orange juice, brandy, and orange zest until well combined.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat on medium speed, about 1 minute, until a dough forms.
Break off a heaping tablespoon of dough (or weigh out the dough into 1.5 oz|43 g portions) and roll into a 7-8 inch rope. Fold in half and twist. Place the cookies on prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
Beat the egg yolk and milk in a small bowl and lightly brush on top of the cookies.
Bake 35-40 minutes, rotating the pans halfway, until golden brown.
Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Accuracy: Measure all of your ingredients accurately. I like to use a kitchen scale to weigh out all of my ingredients and dough.
Room temperature ingredients: Make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature before beginning.
Uniform cookies: To ensure that all of your cookies are uniform, use a kitchen scale to weigh out each dough portion. I weigh mine out to 1.5 oz (about 42 g) and get 26 cookies out of each batch. I do not recommend making them any bigger than that, although you can make them smaller (1 oz per cookie)
Optional topping: After brushing the cookies with egg wash, you can sprinkle sesame seeds on top for extra flavor and crunch.
Storage: Store cookies covered in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.
Freezing: After baking, allow the cookies to cool completely. Place them in a freezer safe zip-top bag or airtight container. When you want to eat, remove the cookies from the freezer and allow them to thaw to room temperature.