My family recipe is below. It uses "only" 3-1/2 cubes of butter (not quite a full pound) to six cups of flour, 1 cup of sugar, and four eggs. Honestly, I don't think you can lessen the butter without compromising the texture. However, I have a family recipe for paximadia (similar to Italian biscotti) that calls for less butter and almost the same amount of flour. It's really easy to make and has a similar taste and texture as the koulouria. I make these more frequently just because they're a lot less labor intensive. They also freeze well. I just reheat them in a toaster oven to restore crispness. I've listed the recipe below too.

Koulouria
(Sesame Cookie Twists)

Cookie:
1- cups butter (3 ½ cubes)
1-cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs, beaten
6 cups flour

Topping:
1 ½ cups sesame seeds
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 teaspoons milk
½ teaspoon sugar

ÂUsing electric mixer, cream butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
ÂMix dry ingredients in separate bowl.
ÂAdd egg mixture to dry ingredients, blending well. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time if dough is too dry. Dough should be pliable but very dense.
ÂScoop out portions of dough about the size of a small lemon.
ÂRoll into 8 Â 10 inch thin, long ropes. Ropes should be no thicker than a pencil or a womanÂs "pinkie" finger.
ÂShape into twists.
ÂDip tops of twists in bowl of sesame seeds; shake off excess seeds.
ÂPlace twists on greased cookie sheet.
ÂCombine beaten egg yolk, 2 teaspoons milk, and ½ teaspoon sugar.
ÂBrush/dab each twist with egg yolk mixture.
ÂBake at 350° for 20  25 minutes; tops should be a light, toasty brown. Be careful not to over brown or burn the cookies.
ÂCool thoroughly; store in airtight container.

Paximadia
(Greek Toast Cookies)

1 cup sugar
2 cubes sweet, unsalted butter (½ pound or 8 ounces)
3 eggs, beaten
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon lemon or orange rind
1 teaspoon lemon or orange extract
1 tablespoon vanilla
5½ cups flour
¼ cup milk

ÂUsing electric mixer, cream butter and sugar.
ÂContinue mixing, adding eggs, vanilla, and lemon/orange extract.
ÂMix dry ingredients in separate bowl.
ÂAdd egg mixture to dry ingredients, blending well. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time if dough is too dry. Dough should be pliable but very dense.
ÂDivide dough into two approximately equal portions.
ÂForm one portion of dough into a long, flattened roll, approximately 4 inches wide, on an unbuttered cookie sheet. Do the same with the other portion.
ÂCut rolls in 3/4 inch slices; do NOT cut all the way through.
ÂBake at 350° for 20  25 minutes. Rolls should be very, very light brown. Do NOT over bake; they should look under baked.
ÂWhile still warm, slice the rolls, cutting all the way through the scored cuts.
ÂLay each piece cut side up on cookie sheet.
ÂBake at 350° until toasty, turning once (about 7 minutes per side). Be careful not to over brown or burn the cookies.
ÂCool thoroughly; store in airtight container.

shambo - Thanks for the recipe. I found recipes that called for 1/2 cup butter to 1 cup sugar and another that had 1/2 cup sugar to 1 cup butter. Very confusing.
Clare

The reason I'm hesitant about using recipes with too little butter and/or sugar goes back to an incident in my childhood. My Greek grandmother was a wonderful cook and passed down her skills to my mother. For some reason I assumed that ALL Greek grandmothers could cook as well as mine. One day we were visiting some Greek friends and they offered me some koulouria made by the grandmother. Of course, I took two because I loved the cookies and figured they'd be as tasty and wonderful as my grandma's. Boy, was I in for a surprise. The cookies were dense, hard, & flavorless. I was in total shock. I just couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that some Greek grandmas weren't naturally good cooks. Obviously her recipe wasn't like my grandma's recipe. So now I just stick to the tried and true.

shambo - I am hesitant about new recipes that are not T & T too. I have made some real duds from ones I have found on the internet. Every year it is interesting to see whether the pastries will be as good as they have been in the past at the Greek Festival. It depends on who makes them. I have had some koulourakia that have been like you described - dense, hard, and flavorless.
Clare

I love Greek cookies and I missed this year's local Greek Festival. Thanks for posting these.

Barnmom, if I remember correctly, you live in the Sacramento area. I, too, missed this year's Greek festival. Speaking of disappointing recipes, for several years I bought the Greek Easter bread at the festival, and each time I was disappointed. It was OK as a plain egg bread but nothing like the Easter bread my mom & I used to get at a Greek grocery store near the big Orthodox church in Los Angeles. I finally started making my own a couple of years ago. I think the special spices, mahleb and masticha, are missing from the Sacramento festival recipe.

Shambo, I'm south of Sacramento in Modesto. I have been to the Greek festival here several times and been underwhelmed by the rather ordinary chicken dinner they serve but the pastries and cookies they sell are always wonderful. The women bake for weeks. I have never tried their Greek Easter bread.

Here's another Greek girl's opinion....you have to keep the butter!! And it needs to be good butter. The butter in Greece is so different than any butter I've ever had here. I think that's the main reason I can never get my Greek baking to taste just right.

My favorite Greek cookies are melomacarona, but they are loaded with olive oil and then drenched in a honey syrup. They are a treat, can't have them around all the time. Thank goodness I only get them when my parents travel to Greece and bring me my stash. We have a relative that owns his own bakery, oh my!

Dreamhouse, melomacarona are my daughter's favorite Greek dessert. I like them because they last such a long time. The syrup keeps them from drying out. I've found them perfect for a party or get together. I can make them several days in advance without sacrificing any taste or texture quality. As a result, they're great for gifts too.

Yasou's galaktoboureko

om nom nom nom nom