Ladokouloura Recipe (Vegan Olive Oil Cookies)

Photo: Greek olive oil cookies on stovetop, home kitchen in New Orleans.jpg by Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 2.0. Placeholder until original photography is shot.

In short

Ladokouloura are Greek cookies built entirely on olive oil rather than butter, with no eggs at all, giving a slightly denser, more crumbly texture and a faint fruity note the oil brings that a butter cookie does not have. They developed specifically as Lenten baking, when butter and eggs were off the table, and remain naturally vegan today.

Ladokouloura solve a genuine problem: what to bake through Lent, when butter and eggs are both off the table, that still feels like a proper treat rather than a compromise. Olive oil takes over entirely as the fat, and the result is a cookie with its own particular crumbly, slightly denser texture and a faint fruitiness the oil brings, quite distinct from a butter-based koulouraki.

This makes them naturally vegan, arrived at for reasons that long predate the modern framing, and they are genuinely good enough to make outside Lent as well, particularly around Christmas alongside melomakarona and kourabiedes, since the flavours, orange and a little cinnamon, sit comfortably in that same festive register.

The technique differs from a butter cookie in one important way: since oil, unlike butter, is already liquid and cannot be creamed to trap air, the dough comes together more like a quick, forgiving batter than a classic creamed cookie dough.

Key preparation steps

Whisk olive oil, sugar, orange juice and zest together.
Fold in flour, baking powder and a little cinnamon.
Shape into rings or twists.
Bake until golden and firm.

Why the technique differs from a butter cookie

Butter cookies rely on creaming solid butter with sugar to trap air, which gives lift and a tender crumb. Olive oil is already liquid and cannot do this, so ladokouloura dough comes together more like whisking a batter, oil and sugar and orange juice combined first, then dry ingredients folded in, rather than the beat-until-pale stage a butter cookie needs.

Choosing the oil

A milder olive oil, rather than a very peppery, assertive extra virgin, works better here, since the oil's flavour should sit in the background behind the orange rather than dominating the cookie. A little brandy or ouzo, a traditional addition in some households, adds extra depth and helps the texture stay tender.

Shaping and baking

Shape the dough into small rings, twists or simple rounds, and bake in a moderate oven until firm and lightly golden, around eighteen to twenty minutes. The finished cookie should be crumbly and short rather than chewy, with a texture genuinely its own rather than trying to imitate a butter cookie.

Tips from my kitchen

Use a mild olive oil

A strong, peppery extra virgin can fight with the orange rather than sitting in the background as intended.

Do not expect a butter-cookie texture

Ladokouloura are meant to be crumbly and short in their own particular way, genuinely distinct from a creamed butter dough rather than an imitation of one.

Bake until firm, not just golden

They firm up further as they cool, but should already feel set rather than soft when they come out of the oven.

Frequently asked questions about Ladokouloura

Are ladokouloura vegan?

Yes, entirely, made with olive oil and no eggs or dairy at all. They developed specifically as Lenten baking, when both were off the table, long before the modern vegan framing existed.

Why does the dough come together differently from a butter cookie?

Olive oil is already liquid and cannot be creamed with sugar to trap air the way solid butter can, so the dough is whisked together more like a batter rather than beaten light and fluffy first.

How long do ladokouloura keep?

Two to three weeks in an airtight container at room temperature, similar to most Greek butter-free cookies.

Ladokouloura Recipe (Greek Vegan Olive Oil Cookies)