Easy Koulourakia Cookie Sticks (Greek Butter Cookies)

Buttery Greek cookies with a golden finish and an easy roll-and-cut method—perfect for coffee, holiday cookie boxes, and sharing!

Love homemade koulourakia but don’t have time to shape every cookie individually? These koulourakia cookie sticks give you all that buttery vanilla flavor with much less shaping. Simply roll the dough between parchment, cut it into sticks, chill, brush with egg wash, and bake.

This version uses my vanilla and chocolate koulourakia dough with an easier way to get a big batch ready for the oven. Make them for a party, tuck them into holiday cookie boxes, or keep a few beside the coffee pot. A little melted chocolate makes them especially pretty for gifting!

What makes these cookie sticks so easy?

Instead of rolling and twisting each cookie, you cut rows of sticks from a rectangle of dough. The parchment keeps the dough manageable without covering your counter in flour.

The important step is chilling the shaped cookies. Give them 25 minutes in the freezer or 30–40 minutes in the refrigerator before brushing with egg wash and baking. Firm, cold dough helps the sticks hold their shape.

If you enjoy the traditional twists, you can find those in my classic koulourakia recipe.

Ingredients you’ll need

Butter and sugar: Use softened unsalted butter so it creams easily with the sugar. It should feel soft, without being melted or oily.

Eggs and egg yolks: These give the dough structure and richness. The additional yolks for the egg wash are separate from those in the dough.

Heavy cream: Adds richness to these Greek butter cookies.

Vanilla and optional citrus zest: Keep them vanilla or add lemon or orange zest. Zest brings citrus flavor without adding extra liquid.

Flour, baking powder, and salt: Add the flour gradually, and use the additional flour only if needed. The dough should be soft and manageable, rather than stiff and dry.

Optional chocolate ingredients: The recipe card includes everything needed to turn half the dough into chocolate dough. The melted chocolate for decorating is separate, so set aside enough if you’re doing both.

How to make koulourakia cookie sticks

Make the dough

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla, eggs, and egg yolks, followed by the cream. Combine the dry ingredients separately, then gradually mix them into the butter mixture on low speed. Stop once the dough comes together.

For chocolate cookies, prepare the chocolate variation in the recipe notes before rolling. Let the chocolate mixture cool completely before adding it to the dough, then cover and rest the chocolate dough for 30 minutes.

Roll and cut

Divide the dough into manageable portions. Roll each portion between two sheets of parchment to an even ½-inch thickness.

Remove the top sheet and cut into sticks approximately 1 inch wide and 4 inches long using a pizza cutter, pastry wheel, or sharp knife. Transfer to parchment-lined trays, leaving about 2 inches between the cookies.

Chill, brush, and bake

Chill the shaped sticks in the freezer for 25 minutes or refrigerator for 30–40 minutes, until firm and cold.

Brush the tops lightly with the egg wash, add sugar or sesame seeds if you like, and bake at 350°F (180°C). Begin checking around 20 minutes; the estimated baking range is 20–28 minutes. Look for lightly golden edges and bottoms rather than relying only on the clock.

Keep the remaining trays chilled while the first batch bakes. Let the cookies firm up briefly on their trays before transferring them to a rack.

My tips for neat, tender cookie sticks

Don’t add flour just to make rolling easier. The parchment does that job. Extra flour can make the cookies dry.

Keep the thickness even. Thin ends brown faster than thick centers. Check the edges of the rectangle before cutting.

If the dough bends or sticks while transferring, chill it briefly. Slide the parchment and rolled dough onto a tray and refrigerate until easier to handle.

Use cool trays for each batch. Warm baking sheets soften the butter before the cookies reach the oven.

Brush lightly with egg wash. Coat the tops without letting egg wash collect around the bases.

Can I make different flavors from one batch?

Yes! Leave the entire batch vanilla, make half chocolate, or place pieces of both doughs beside each other before rolling for two-tone sticks. The chocolate directions are in the recipe notes.

Once the cookies have cooled completely, dip the ends in melted chocolate or drizzle it over the tops. Let the coating set before stacking or packing.

How do I store them or make them ahead?

Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Separate chocolate-decorated layers with parchment.

You can also freeze the shaped, unbaked cookies until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container for up to a month. Brush with egg wash before baking, and allow extra baking time if baking from frozen.

Holiday cookie boxes and party platters

These sticks are easy to arrange in small gift boxes or on a platter for a coffee gathering. For gifting, pack them snugly enough that they won’t slide around, with parchment between layers.

For a Greek holiday assortment, pair them with my easy kourabiedes sticks and Greek olive oil cookie sticks. You’ll have three different flavors with simple shaping methods. Keep syrupy cookies in a separate compartment or package to help preserve the drier cookies’ texture.

Planning a baking get-together? My holiday cookie exchange guide will help you turn a few batches of cookies into a lovely gathering.

Put the coffee on, bring out the platter, and enjoy! If you make these, leave a comment and tell me whether you chose vanilla, chocolate, or both.

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