Greek Grape Must Cookies (Moustokouloura)

Moustokouloura belong to a genuinely old tradition in Greek baking, tied directly to the autumn grape harvest, when petimezi, the thick syrup made by boiling down fresh grape must, was one of the few sweeteners a household had before refined sugar became commonly and cheaply available.

The result is a cookie with a deeper, more complex sweetness than plain sugar gives, faintly fruity and rounder, and since the dough uses oil rather than butter, moustokouloura are naturally dairy-free and, made without egg, entirely vegan.

This is genuinely simple, everyday baking, closer to a rustic biscuit than an elaborate pastry, and it keeps very well, which suited a household making a large batch once the grape must syrup was ready each autumn.

Key preparation steps

1. Mix oil, petimezi, orange juice and warm spices.
2. Fold in flour and baking powder to a soft dough.
3. Shape into small rings.
4. Bake until firm and lightly golden.

Petimezi, the sweetener

Petimezi, grape must syrup, made by boiling down fresh unfermented grape juice until thick and dark, is what gives moustokouloura their distinctive, deep, faintly fruity sweetness. It is sold in Greek grocers, or can be made at home by reducing good quality grape juice, though it takes real time to thicken properly.

The dough

Whisk together oil, petimezi, a little orange juice and zest, and warm spices, cinnamon and a pinch of clove, then fold in flour and baking powder until a soft, workable dough comes together. This is genuinely a simple, forgiving dough, closer to a quick biscuit mix than an elaborate pastry.

Shaping and baking

Roll small pieces of dough into thin ropes and join the ends into small rings, the traditional koulouri shape. Bake in a moderate oven until firm and lightly golden, and cool completely before storing, since they firm up further as they cool.

What matters in this dish