Description
These Koulourakia with Olive Oil are a delicious and light Greek butter cookie, traditionally enjoyed during Easter and other festive occasions. This recipe offers a wonderful twist using olive oil and orange juice for a delicate flavor and a wonderfully soft and chewy texture.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 270g self-raising flour (gluten-free if needed), preferably sifted
- 60g almond flour
- 100g caster sugar (superfine white sugar)
- 100ml freshly squeezed orange juice, with pulp
- 50ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Optional: 4 tablespoons sesame seeds (lightly toasted or unhulled)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F) fan-forced or 180°C (356°F) conventional. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, vanilla extract, and caster sugar until well combined. Add the almond flour and self-raising flour. Using a rubber spatula, mix until a soft dough forms.
- Knead Dough: Gently knead the dough for about a minute until smooth and pliable. If too sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Avoid over-drying the dough.
- Shape Koulourakia: Divide the dough into 30-35g portions and roll each into a ball. Roll each ball into a 15cm long and 1.5cm wide rope. Fold the rope in half to form a ‘U’ shape, then twist the two halves together. Place on the baking trays, 3cm apart.
- Optional: Roll the ropes in sesame seeds before twisting.
- Bake: Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate trays and bake for another 12 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the koulourakia inside with the door closed for 30 minutes for a crunchy texture, or 15 minutes for a softer texture.
Notes
- Use gluten-free self-raising flour if needed.
- Adding cinnamon enhances the flavor.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 170kcal
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
