Made with olive oil and topped with crunchy sesame seeds, these lightly spiced traditional Greek olive oil cookies(ladokouloura in Greek) will become your new favourite cookie!
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, olive oil, orange juice and zest, brandy and ground cinnamon and cloves.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the olive oil mixture and gently stir.
Mix until the cookie dough is soft, and no flour remains. (see note 4)
Use a cookie scoop to scoop out a piece of dough and form it into a ball. (see note 5)
Poke your finger into the centre of the ball to create a hole.
Very gently form the cookie to resemble a "mini doughnut". (use your fingers to shape it out).
Dip the cookie into the sesame seeds to coat it thoroughly. Repeat for the remainder of the ladokouloura cookies and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (each cookie sheet should hold 6-8 cookies).
Bake for 22 mins until the cookies are a light brown colour. Remove and allow them to cool on a wire rack before serving. (see note 6)
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Notes
The baking instructions are for one cookie sheet at a time.
If you're watching your budget, a good tip is to use a combination of vegetable oil and olive oil. The ladokouloura cookies will still retain their shape but will lose their signature flavour.
Use fresh orange juice if you can. It does make a difference to the final product.
If you want more spice, consider adding ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger.
Refrain from overworking the dough.
To test whether your dough is ready, pinch off a small piece and roll it between your palms. If it feels smooth and pliable, it's ready.
Allow the olive oil cookies to cool completely before serving, allowing them to firm up and keep their shape.