Koulourakia (Greek Easter Cookies)

-searched for this traditional Greek Easter cookie recipe & found this one, as adapted from a Greek community cookbook-

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 50-60

Ingredients

• 8 -9  cups flour
• 2  tablespoons baking powder
• 1  lb butter, softened
• 2  cups sugar
• 6  eggs, lightly beaten
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1  egg, beaten (with 1 tablespoon water)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Sift together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar.
4. Add eggs to butter mixture. Combine completely.
5. Add vanilla.
6. Add enough flour mixture to make a soft dough. Shape dough with lightly floured hands into desired shapes* and arrange on ungreased cookie sheets.
7. Brush with beaten egg and water.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on racks.
9. *The most common shape I’ve seen is twists. Twists can be made by rolling a piece of dough about 5 inches long and ½ inch round into a tube shape. Bring ends together and lightly twist one time from middle to ends. Other shapes are balls with flattened bottoms.