Cinnamon Sugar Twist Cookies are firm, mildly sweet Greek Easter cookies called Koulourakia. They are a firm dunking cookie, with a buttery, cinnamon flavor that goes with just about everything!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Made with simple ingredients, this is the perfect cookie to dunk in your morning coffee.
- The cookie flavor continues to improve over the first few days after baking and the cookies stay fresh for a long time.
Cinnamon Sugar Twists are an easy recipe for traditional Greek Easter Cookies (Koulourakia). They are a firm cookie that is only mildly sweet, but full of buttery flavor.
This version of Koulourakia is called Koulourakia Kanela, which means cinnamon Koulourakia. Warm, spiced cinnamon flavor is added to the dough and sprinkled on top of the cookies.
Their long shelf life make these cookies great gifts and care package treats.
Ingredients
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Combine the ingredients to form the cookie dough.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon dough balls and refrigerate 10-15 minutes, until easy to handle.
- Knead a dough ball until smooth, then roll out to form a 6” long strip.
- Fold the strip into an upside down “u”.
- Working from the right side each time, twist the right dough over the left three times, pressing the ends together after the final twist.
- Brush the egg wash onto the cookie twists and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake until cookies are golden brown.
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Storage
When completely cool, store Koulourakia cookies at room temperature in airtight container or ziplock bag for 2-3 weeks.
Tips
- For the most uniform cookies, use a kitchen scale to weigh the dough before forming into twists.
- Greek butter cookies can also be shaped in rings, spirals, or "S" shapes.
- Many Koulourakia recipes sprinkle the cookies with sesame seeds. Instead of the cinnamon inside and cinnamon sugar outside, sprinkle the twists with about 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds.
- There is a very delicate orange taste from the orange juice in this recipe. The best way to get a more pronounced orange flavor, would be to add 1 teaspoon of orange zest.
- For military care packages going to very hot locations, substituting vegetable shortening for the butter and water for the orange juice makes these cookies "desert safe" (heat spoilage resistant).
Frequently asked questions
Cookies sometimes crack when the dough is too dry from too much flour. To help prevent this, measure the flour by gently spooning it into the measuring cup then leveling off with a knife.
Using a kitchen scale is the most accurate way to measure. The 2 ¼ cups flour for this recipe weighs 9.5 ounces or 270 grams.
To help prevent cookies from spreading, measure ingredients carefully to ensure the correct dry:wet ratio, use room temperature or chilled baking sheets, and chill the cookies before baking.
Yes. Wrap the cookies well in an airtight freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months.
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Cinnamon Sugar Twist Cookies (Koulourakia Kanelas)
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 tablespoons large crystal sugar turbinado or decorating sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy.
- Lower mixer speed and add egg, orange juice, and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly between additions.
- Slowly add dry ingredients until combined.
- Using small scoop ( 1 tablespoon size) or tablespoon, scoop dough and place balls on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Refrigerate about 10-15 minutes until the soft dough is easy to handle.
- To form cookies, mush a dough ball a few times in your hand to make the dough smooth, then roll out on the counter to form a 6” long strip. Gently fold dough strip into an upside down “u”. Working from the right side each time, twist the right dough strip over the left three times, pressing the ends together after the final twist.
- Gently move formed twists onto the prepared baking sheet, placing 1” apart.
- Mix together egg yolk and milk/water glaze. Use a pastry brush to brush the glaze onto the cookies.
- Mix together the cinnamon and large crystal sugar. Sprinkle over the egg glaze on the cookies.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes until the cookies (not just glaze) are golden brown. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool.
- When completely cool, store at room temperature in airtight container or ziplock bag for 2-3 weeks.
Notes
- For the most uniform cookies, use a kitchen scale to weigh the dough before forming into twists.
- Greek butter cookies can also be shaped in rings, spirals, or "S" shapes.
- Many Koulourakia recipes sprinkle the cookies with sesame seeds. Instead of the cinnamon inside and cinnamon sugar outside, sprinkle the twists with about 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds.
- There is a very delicate orange taste from the orange juice in this recipe. The best way to get a more pronounced orange flavor, would be to add 1 teaspoon of orange zest.
- For hot weather shipping use vegetable shortening instead of butter and water instead of orange juice. For orange flavor, use ½ teaspoon orange flavoring (essence) and 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract instead of the 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- With bottoms together, wrap pairs of cookies in double plastic wrap then place in airtight containers or ziplock bags for mailing.
Nutrition
First Published: May 10, 2013. Last Updated: May 31, 2024. Updated for additional information, improved photos, and better reader experience.
saltandserenity
While I love a cookie loaded with chocolate and nuts, a quiet, simple cookie, like these, is really a thing to be appreciated. These would be perfect to help with a late afternoon energy slump.
Congrats on 7+ years of blogging. As a 10+ year veteran, I appreciate how challenging it is to consistently blog, weeek after week. You are a bright spot in this crowded place we call the web!