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Greek Olive Oil Cookies - Koulourakia Ladiou

Ready in less than 30 minutes, these traditional Greek olive oil biscuits with cinnamon are full of flavor and perfectly crunchy. Coat them with sesame seeds before baking or leave them plain—either way, they’re delicious served with a cup of coffee or tea. Kali orexi!
Greek Olive Oil Cookies - Koulourakia Ladiou.

I’m back with another Greek koulourakia recipe—this time featuring a flavor that’s incredibly popular and found in every Greek bakery: cinnamon! These Greek olive oil cookies are wonderfully aromatic and crunchy, and a favorite in our house. I love getting the kids involved in shaping them—they enjoy helping out almost as much as they enjoy devouring them afterward.

These cinnamon koulourakia are completely dairy-free, egg-free, and butter-free, making them perfect for Lent or for anyone following a vegan diet. I usually make them in a round shape, but you can have fun with different shapes like braids or coils.

If you’re looking for more Greek cookie (koulourakia) recipes, be sure to check out my orange cookies or my grape molasses cookies—they’re also vegan and just as crunchy and flavorful as these cinnamon koulourakia.

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Why you should try my recipe

  • Very easy to prepare, you just mix the ingredients with a spatula or by hand.
  • Ready in less than 30 minutes.
  • Great dippers for coffee or a glass of milk.
  • Kids love them!
  • Long shelf life.

Ingredients & How-to

To make these Greek olive oil cookies we are going to need all-purpose flour, baking powder, orange juice, baking soda, powdered sugar (icing), olive oil, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, salt and vinegar.

Ingredients for Greek olive oil cookies.

For full quantities check the recipe card down below.

01. I start by mixing the powdered sugar and oil together, as I find that powdered sugar dissolves more easily than caster sugar. I’m using light olive oil instead of extra-virgin, since it has a milder flavor and works better for baking. You can also use any other high-quality vegetable oil you like or have on hand.

02. Next, I add baking soda to the orange juice and gently mix until it starts to foam. I then pour it into the bowl and combine it with the rest. The baking soda helps make the koulourakia crispy and acts as a leavening agent.

Mixed olive oil and powdered sugar in a bowl. Added the orange juice and baking soda mixture to the bowl.

03. Now it’s time to add the spices for extra flavor. If you’ve tried Greek olive oil cookies while visiting Greece, you’ll know they have a strong cinnamon taste—so we’ll be adding about two teaspoons of ground cinnamon. If you prefer a bolder flavor, you can use up to a tablespoon. I’m also adding a small amount of ground cloves, as it pairs well with cinnamon, but be careful not to overdo it—too much can make the koulourakia taste bitter.

04. Finally, it’s time to add the dry ingredients—flour and baking powder. I add them to the bowl and start mixing with my hands or a spatula until just combined. Avoid overworking the dough, as the oil may separate, making it difficult to shape the koulourakia.

Added the ground cinnamon to the bowl. Flour and baking powder added to the bowl.

05. I take a small piece of dough, about 30g or 1oz, and shape it into a ball. The cookies will expand slightly as they bake, thanks to the baking powder and soda, so try not to make them too large. With a little practice, you’ll get better and better at shaping koulourakia.

06. Now, using one hand at first and then both, I roll the dough on a wooden board into a long rope, slightly wider than the palm of my hand.

Showing a small piece of dough on a palm. Rolling the dough into a long shape using two hands.

07. Then I press the two ends together forming an O shape cookie (koulouraki).

08. I keep a bowl of sesame seeds next to me and gently press each shaped koulouraki into the seeds to coat both sides.

Forming an O shape koulouraki. Coating the cookie with sesame seeds.

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09. I place the cookies on a lined baking tray leaving about two fingers space between them. Since we are adding baking powder to them, they will slightly grow and we don’t want them to stick to each other.

10. You can shape the koulourakia however you like. Some of our favorites to make with my kids are coil shapes and little braids. You can also skip the sesame seeds on some or all of the cookies if you’re not a big fan—my kids, for example, don’t really like them.

Cookies on a tray ready to go in the oven. Shaping a koulouraki in a coil shape.

Tips

  • Don’t overwork the dough as the oil will separate resulting in hard cookies.
  • Use a lined baking tray to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the tray.
  • When you take the koulourakia out of the oven, let them sit for 5-10 minutes before removing from the tray.
  • Use a light olive oil for a milder flavor.
  • For more spiced aromas, add 1-2 more teaspoons of cinnamon.

Serving suggestions

You can serve these Greek cinnamon cookies with a cup of coffee or tea, or with a glass of milk for the little ones. I like to coat them with sesame seeds before baking, but that’s completely optional—you can also leave some plain and coat the rest to suit everyone’s preferences.

Greek olive oil koulourakia served on a white plate.

Storage

I recommend storing the cinnamon koulourakia in an airtight container. They could last a couple of weeks but we usually devour them within a few days!

FAQ

I recommend shaping and baking the koulourakia straight away rather than keeping the dough for later on.

Some other spices that go well with cinnamon and will make the Greek cookies even more aromatic are nutmeg, allspice, ground aniseed or use a little bit of ouzo instead of vinegar.

If you tried my Greek Olive Oil Cookies - Koulourakia Ladiou or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!

Recipe

Greek Olive Oil Cookies - Koulourakia Ladiou

These traditional Greek koulourakia with olive oil and cinnamon are wonderfully aromatic and full of flavor. They’re perfect for dipping in your morning coffee, sharing with kids, or simply enjoying as a snack. Enjoy!
Category: Cookies & Biscuits Difficulty: Easy
5 stars 5.0 from 1 votes
Servings

25 pieces

Prep time

15 minutes

Cooking time

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups (150gr) powdered sugar
  • 1 cup / 250ml olive oil
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 4 cups / 500gr all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • sesame seeds (optional)

Equipment

Instructions

  • Add the powdered sugar and olive oil to a bowl. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
  • Mix the orange juice and baking soda until it starts foaming. Then add to the bowl with the sugar and oil.
  • Add the ground cinnamon, cloves and vinegar. Mix to combine.
  • Add the flour and baking powder to the bowl. With a spatula or your hands, gently mix until the flour is incorporated.
  • Take a small piece of dough, about 30gr / 1oz and shape it into a circle or braid.
  • Coat with sesame seeds if using any. Place the cookies on a lined baking tray.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven to 180°C / 350°F until light brown. Let them rest for 5-10 minutes before removing them from the baking tray.

Notes

This recipe yields 25 cookies depending on the size.
- Leave some space between them in the baking tray as they tend to puff up a little bit.
- After taking them out of the oven, let them rest for a bit as they will be very soft and break.
- You could use olive oil or a good quality vegetable oil of your choice.

Storage

Keep the Greek olive oil cookies in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Nutrition Info (per serving)

Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 18mg | Sugar: 8g

I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.

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Comments (Average rating: 5.0 stars )

  1. Julia

    5 stars

    I really loved creating this koulourakia recipe and post for you; I hope you make them and enjoy them as much as we do. Please leave me a comment here and share your feedback with a star rating as well

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