If you love ladokouloura but don’t feel like shaping cookies one at a time, make these Greek olive oil cookie sticks. The dough has the orange, cinnamon, cloves, and walnuts I love in my classic ladokouloura. For this version, I roll it into rectangles and cut it into sticks. It’s an easy way to make a big batch of Greek cookies for your coffee table.
The sticks bake up lightly golden at the edges with a tender center. They’re made without eggs or dairy, so they’re lovely to have on hand when you want a vegan sweet to offer guests.
Why make ladokouloura as cookie sticks?
The flavor is familiar, but the shaping is simpler. Instead of rolling each portion into a log, you shape the dough into two rectangles and cut rows of cookies. Their straight shape also makes them easy to arrange on a platter alongside Greek coffee or tea.
Ingredients you’ll need
Olive oil: Use a good-quality, mild olive oil. A very robust extra-virgin olive oil will give the cookies a much stronger olive oil flavor. My original recipe also allows vegetable oil, though olive oil gives these their name.
Fresh orange juice and zest: Zest the oranges before you squeeze them. Both bring orange flavor to the dough.
Sugar and vanilla: These sweeten and round out the citrus and spices.
Cinnamon and cloves: Just a little clove adds warmth without taking over.
All-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda: Start with the flour called for in the recipe. The dough needs a short rest before you decide whether it needs any more.
Ground walnuts: Pulse them into coarse crumbs so they’re distributed through the dough.
Sesame seeds, optional: Sprinkle them over the sticks if you’d like a sesame topping.
Affiliate placement: Link your own citrus zester, baking sheets, parchment paper, and cooling rack where you mention them naturally. A short “Tools I use” box beside the recipe is a useful second placement.
How to make Greek olive oil cookie sticks
Mix the dough. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and orange zest in one bowl. In another, whisk the olive oil, orange juice, water, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla. Gradually bring the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then mix in the walnuts.
Let it rest. The dough may look oily and sticky at first. Give it five minutes before adding extra flour. Add only enough to make it pliable.
Cut the sticks. Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a rectangle about 12 by 8 inches and ½ inch thick, then cut into sticks about 1 by 4 inches. Place them on parchment-lined baking sheets with space between them.
Bake and cool. Bake at 350°F until lightly golden around the edges, about 18–22 minutes. Let the cookies cool on a rack.
My tips for the best cookie sticks
Wait before adding more flour
That five-minute rest makes a difference. If you add flour while the dough still looks sticky, you may add more than it needs. Use only enough extra flour to make it easy to shape.
Keep the thickness even
Try to keep each rectangle close to ½ inch thick so the sticks bake at a similar rate. They don’t have to look perfectly identical; a neat, even thickness matters more.
Watch the edges
The cookies should be lightly browned at the edges. If you’re baking two trays at once, switch their positions halfway through for more even baking.
Frequently asked questions
Are ladokouloura cookie sticks vegan?
Yes. This recipe contains no eggs or dairy.
Can I make them with vegetable oil?
Yes. My original ladokouloura recipe allows vegetable oil, but I prefer a mild olive oil for these Greek olive oil cookies.
Do I have to use walnuts?
Walnuts are part of this version of my recipe. If you’re looking for a different Greek vegan cookie, try my tahini cookies too.
Can I twist the sticks?
You can try shaping the dough into twists, but it may break as you handle it. Cutting straight sticks is the easiest method.
How should I store them?
Let them cool completely, then keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’re best enjoyed fresh; my original ladokouloura don’t freeze particularly well.
What to serve with Greek cookie sticks
I love these with Greek coffee or hot tea. For a larger Greek cookie platter, add melomakarona, moustokouloura, or vegan koulourakia. The orange and warm spices make these especially inviting with an afternoon coffee.
Filoxenia hosting tip: Stack the sticks loosely on a platter instead of lining them up perfectly. Add a small bowl of walnuts and a few orange slices nearby, then put the coffee on.
If you make these ladokouloura cookie sticks, leave a comment and let me know whether you added sesame seeds. I’d love to hear how they turned out!
Watch the Video
Ladokouloura Sticks: Greek Olive Oil Cookie Sticks
These Greek olive oil cookie sticks are a simple twist on traditional ladokouloura. Instead of shaping every cookie individually, the orange-scented olive oil dough is rolled into rectangles and sliced into elegant sticks. Flavored with cinnamon, cloves, walnuts, and sesame, they’re crisp around the edges, tender inside, naturally vegan, and perfect for dunking into Greek coffee or tea.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups olive oil or vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Zest of 2 oranges
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2–1 cup additional all-purpose flour, if needed
- 3/4 cup ground walnuts
- Sesame seeds, for topping
Instructions
Prepare the dough:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine the olive oil, orange juice, sugar, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon, and cloves in a large bowl. Whisk until the sugar begins to dissolve and the mixture is well combined.
Add the baking soda and baking powder and whisk again.
Add the 4 cups of flour gradually, mixing gently after each addition. Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough that is no longer excessively sticky.
Fold in the ground walnuts. Do not overmix or knead the dough because that can make the cookies tough.
Cover the dough and allow it to rest for approximately 20 minutes. This gives the flour time to absorb the liquids and makes the dough easier to roll.
Shape the cookie sticks:
Divide the dough in half.
Place one portion between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll it into a rectangle approximately 12 by 8 inches and 1/2 inch thick. Repeat with the second portion.
Remove the top sheets of parchment and generously sprinkle the dough with sesame seeds. Gently roll over the sesame seeds or press them into the surface so they adhere.
Using a pizza cutter, pastry wheel, or sharp knife, cut each rectangle into sticks approximately 1 inch wide and 4 inches long.
Carefully transfer the cookie sticks to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between them.
Bake:
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the edges and bottoms are lightly golden.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. They will become crisper as they cool.
Notes
Add the flour gradually. Depending on the flour, humidity, and type of oil used, you may not need the entire additional cup.
The dough should be soft and easy to roll but not wet or sticking heavily to the parchment. Too much flour will make the finished cookies dry.
For evenly sized sticks, use a ruler and pizza cutter to cut 1-inch-wide by 4-inch-long cookies.
If the dough feels too soft to cut cleanly, refrigerate the rolled rectangles for 15–20 minutes before slicing.
For crispier cookie sticks, bake them until evenly golden. For a more tender texture, remove them when only the edges and bottoms are lightly golden.
Store the completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Hosting Tip
Arrange the cookie sticks upright in coffee cups or small glasses and place them on a dessert or coffee station. Their long shape makes them perfect for dunking and gives a simple traditional cookie a beautiful, modern presentation.
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