Krasokouloura or Wine Cookies (Greece)

This is an easy working Greek cookie dough & can be worked into various shapes, including the more traditional sprial, ring & S shapes! NOTE: Cooking time is based on having three baking sheets to go in the oven, one after the other! This recipe is very kid-in-the-kitchen friendly!

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 50
• Yields: 50 spirals

Ingredients

• 1  cup white wine
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1  pinch salt
• 1⁄2 cup  sunflower oil
• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2  tablespoons sesame seeds, preferrably toasted
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 2  tablespoons lemon juice
• 8  cups all-purpose flour (more or less)
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 4  tablespoons sesame seeds, again

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 340 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, beat together wine, sugar, salt, oils, cinnamon, cloves & 2 tablespoons sesame seeds.
3. Dissolve baking soda in lemon juice & stir that blend into the mixture in the large bowl.
4. Sift or whisk flower & baking powder together, then add 5 cups of this mixture to the large bow with the initial ingredients, mixing with handsl
5. Continue adding flour & kneading until dough doesn't stick to the hands ~ Don't use all the flour if it isn't needed! Knead until dough is soft, about 8 minutes.
6. TO MAKE SPIRALS ~ Take a piece of dough about the size of a small egg & squeeze a few times to soften. Scatter a few sesame seeds on the work surface & roll dough through seeds into a strip about 8 inches long. With strip on work surface, wrap into a spiral shape & tuck the end under the cookie.
7. TO MAKE RINGS ~ Take a smaller piece of dough & roll out as above into a strip about 7 inches long. Form into a ring & pinch ends together with wet fingers.
8. TO MAKE 'S' SHAPES ~ Take a larger piece of dough & roll out as above into a strip about 10 inches long. Working from both ends, wrap spirals in opposite directions until they meet in the middle.
9. Place cookies on a nonstick or lightly oiled baking sheet & bake about 30 minutes.