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.
Barb Norton
Hi. My late aunt, Lucy Rubin, was pretty much family famous for these cookies.. I lost the recipe, now I have found it. Thank you❤️ I love these cookies.. when I was a kid I remember thinking I was eating a grown ups cookie. they are not a sweet kid cookie.. they are almost like a biscotti but only once baked.. perfect to give, yes! Love your blog concept. All the very best to you.. food gifts rock!!! I have to remind my daughter about this recipe.. she is foodnerdextreme on Instagram.... flour will be flying in my kitchen soon. Thanks again.
The Monday Box
Hi, Barb! I hope that these cookies will live up to your cherished cookie memories! Your description certainly sounds like this recipe. Thank you for sharing about your late aunt Lucy and her famous cookies! I will be sure to check out you daughter on Instagram. 🙂 I totally agree, food gifts rock! 🙂
Reeni
Congratulations on 1 year! May you have many more! You've learned in one year what took me many. . .I really thought you had been blogging longer. The cookies are so pretty! And you know I'm a big fan of all things cinnamon.
themondaybox
Thank you so much, Reeni! The blog is a work in progress. 🙂 I am enjoying the journey! These cookies surprised me in many ways. They were so easy yet looked so pretty. Plus, I really enjoy a more simple, less over the top sweet cookie with a cup of tea or coffee.:)
Rosie @ Blueberry Kitchen
Happy 1 year of blogging! Your cookies look and sound totally yummy!
themondaybox
Thanks, Rosie! One year = a lot of cookies. 🙂
BruCrew Life
Congratulations on your blogiversary!!! Those are some pretty cookies..I love the fun twist!!!
themondaybox
Thanks, Jocelyn! I am thinking that lots of different flavors of dough can be twisted just for fun! (plus its a great dipping shape) 🙂
Ashley
Happy 1 year!! I love that you've gotten cookie dough on your ceiling : ) At least I'm not the only one who is insanely messy when baking or cooking! And then when I'm trying to be better, I end up making an even bigger mess lol. Go figure
themondaybox
Thanks, Ashley! I never make little messes, only big ones 🙂 The batter on the ceiling disaster was like something out of The Three Stooges, only I was alone in the kitchen! I hope I am learning from my mistakes....at least sometimes. 🙂
thatskinnychickcanbake
I love the look of these cookies! My snickerdoodle loving crew would love them. Happy anniversary to your blog 🙂
themondaybox
Thanks, Liz! I hope you'll give these a try. The consistency is very different than a snickerdoodle and there isn't the cream of tarter kind of sour of a snickerdoodle, but there is definitely the cinnamon-sugar taste. Plus, they are cute. 🙂
ohsweetbasil
those look and sound delicious!!
themondaybox
Thanks, Carrian! They aren't over the top sweet and make a great coffee/tea cookie.
shannon
Happy blog anniversary! Doesn't it feel great to get to that milestone? That's truly an accomplishment, and you picked a fantastic cookie to celebrate with: i LOVE these. Me and the Greek desserts go way back in terms of adoration, and i really love what you did with them.
themondaybox
Thank,Shannon! Going from a knowledge base of zero and growing and learning from there for a full year is something I am proud of. 🙂 Hopefully, the blog improved and will continue to improve over time! Due to my tree nut allergies, many Greek desserts have been off limits to me. Last year my son made me baklavah with peanuts so that I could taste a version of baklavah for the first time! 🙂 My very favorite is galaktoboureko with its custard-like filling. Every culture seems to have a long lasting butter cookie, great with tea/coffee/milk, and great for care packages. I'm on an international quest. 🙂
beyondfrosting
Congratulations!!! That's so exciting, I can't wait for my one year anniversary!
themondaybox
Thanks, Julianne! This has been and continues to be fun! 🙂
gottagetbaked
Happy 1 year blogiversary! These cookies look amazing - definitely worthy of celebrating this big milestone. I hear what you're saying and can totally relate. I've learned a ton since I started blogging last June but there's still so much I don't know. And I totally google weird random stuff all the time - thank goodness for the internet and the kindness of fellow bloggers. I look forward to following you for many years to come!
themondaybox
Thank you, Nancy! Your comment is the perfect example of the kind and encouraging nature of food bloggers! 🙂
Monica
Happy 1-year anniversary to your blog!! I love reading what you have to say and the premise of your blog is a great one. You are so right about all the learning involved in having a blog and how kind people are in general.
These cookies look delicious and I like really your spin on them! : )
themondaybox
Thanks, Monica! It's all about enjoying the journey, right? 🙂 My favorite part of blogging is the people!
Loretta | A Finn In The Kitchen
Congrats on the 1-year mark! I never remember to do anything really creative with my cookies, so these are especially impressive!
themondaybox
Thanks, Loretta! I get excited about every baby step forward with the blog. 🙂 These cookies are really fast and easy. I love it when a cookie looks impressive but really requires very little effort! 🙂
noyomoco
Beautiful cookies and congrats on your blogiversary!! My husband was in the Navy for 9 1/2 years, so I've put together a care package or two 😉
themondaybox
Thanks, Jennifer! You are certainly a care package pro! Any recipes or pointers you would be willing to share would be much appreciated!
Miss Messy
These look delicious 🙂 What a great idea. Happy 1 year! 😀
themondaybox
Thanks, Miss Messy!
Suzie
Aww...thank you for the mention, I will help anytime 🙂 Your photography is impressive. I have florescent lights in my kitchen which are horrible for pictures, thankfully photoshop can change my lighting though. Photoshop is pretty amazing really. The cookies sound great and they are so fun looking. I love how you colored them up with a baggy. Have a great weekend and Mother's day!
themondaybox
Happy Mother's Day, Suzie! I also use photo editing software (something that came with my Canon) and I agree it is a life saver. I take photos outside on a porch. Sometimes the sun cooperates and sometimes it doesn't! Also, its kind of goofy out there in the snow during the winter. 🙂 I do appreciate your help with military care packages. It is very new to me but I am trying to include as many desert safe recipes as possible now that it is getting to be summer. These cookies are especially good with a cup of tea, hot or cold, I think. 🙂