Moustokouloura – Greek Grape Molasses Cookies Recipe
Moustokouloura are one of the most fragrant, vegan soft cookies you will ever try! These Greek grape molasses cookies recipe make a great healthy breakfast or snack.
New Year’s Resolutions
Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed the holiday season and got to eat delicious food and even more delicious desserts. Whether you are the resolution type of person or not, let’s agree that the majority of us need a little detox over January. Kicking off this year with moustokouloura cookies was a no brainer. They are vegan, healthier than the regular molasses cookies yet irresistibly flavorful. Moreover, these moustokouloura cookies recipe require less than 1 hour and you don’t need a mixer.
What is Grape Molasses?
Grape molasses in Greek is called: πετιμέζι (petimezi from the turkish word pekmez), it is a naturally sweetened syrup made from reduced grape must. Petimezi keeps indefinitely. Its flavor is sweet with slightly bitter undertones. The syrup may be light or dark colored depending on the grapes used. Before the wide availability of inexpensive cane sugar, petimezi was a common sweetener in Greek cooking along with carob syrup and honey. Petimezi is still used today in desserts and as a sweet topping for salads and meat dishes. Traditionally, from late August until the beginning of December, many Greek bakeries make and sell crunchy or soft, fragrant petimezi cookies, moustokoúloura (Greek: μουστοκούλουρα). Some moustokouloura cookies recipes use grape must but you can find petimezi more easily. Molasses in general have a lot of benefits as they are a good source of iron and contain many antioxidants.
Ingredient list for moustokouloura:
- Grape Molasses (Petimezi): When choosing petimezi make sure you opt for pure grape molasses that have not be processed with additive sugar. You could also substitute grape molasses for regular molasses or maple syrup but the recipe won’t be called moustokouloura anymore.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: The recipe calls for both baking soda and baking powder. This results in a fluffy cookie with a mild tangy flavor.
- Orange Juice: Always use freshly squeezed orange juice for optimal flavor. If fresh oranges is not available, you may use store-bought orange juice or water. The quantity will be the exact same as shown in the recipe card.
How to make moustokouloura:
Start by combining all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then, whisk all wet ingredients along with sugar. Once all ingredients are evenly incorporated, gradually add the dry ingredients mixture to the wet one. Knead just until a dough is formed. Roll out the cookies into logs and shape into circles. Bake until golden brown and slightly crinkle on top. Moustokouloura are best enjoyed when dipping them into coffee, milk or tea.
Tips for the best moustokouloura cookies
- Measure Ingredients: An electric scale is the most accurate way to weigh ingredients. A little more flour or less oil could result in a dry and dense cookie.
- Overworking the dough: Less is more! The dough needs minimum kneading. As soon as you incorporate the flour mixture, knead for a few seconds just until the dough is not sticking to the bowl anymore.
- Overbaking: Due to the molasses, it’s hard to tell when the cookies are ready from their color. Pay attention to the edges and the top of the cookies. They should be slightly more browned and puffed on top.
- Resting time: I know you want to dive in right after the cookies cool down or even earlier. However, letting the moustokouloura rest overnight allows them to develop more intense flavor.
MAKE AHEAD AND STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS:
This is not a cookie recipe you can make ahead of time. The dough will dry out if not handled immediately. Moustokouloura will keep fresh at room temperature, stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month. You may freeze moustokouloura in a freezer safe bag for up to 2 months.
Your house will smell amazingly the moment you put these vegan molasses cookies into the oven. Save this moustokouloura cookies recipe for the weekend and enjoy a soft, chewy and perfectly balanced cookie anytime of the day. Don’t forget to leave a comment below if you give this recipe a try. Happy baking!
More Recipes to try:
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Moustokouloura – Greek Grape Molasses Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/3 cup Grape Molasses-Petimezi
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Orange Juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180C).
- Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl sift the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon and ground cloves. Add the salt and whisk all together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl add the granulated sugar, grape molasses, extra virgin olive oil and orange juice. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved.
- Gradually, add the flour mixture into the wet mixture and incorporate using a spatula. The consistency should be thick.
- Knead with your hands for a few seconds until the dough comes together and it's not sticky. Do not knead/mix dough for too long because the cookies will turn out hard.
- Divide dough into 24 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball using your palms. If the dough gets too sticky, dip your fingers into olive oil for easier handling.
- Roll the dough ball into a log.
- Shape the dough into a circle.
- Transfer cookies into the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake one baking sheet at the time in the middle rack for 15-20 minutes. The cookies should be puffed and slightly crinkle on top. Avoid overbaking because the cookies will turn out too hard.
- Remove from oven and allow cookies to stay in the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Dunk into coffee, milk or tea. Enjoy!
Notes
- Kneading the dough for too long will result in the oil separating from the dough making it hard to roll out. Ultimately, the cookies will turn out hard.
- Note that ovens bake differently, so yours may take a little less or a little more time to bake.
- Do not overbake the cookies as they will turn out hard. The tops should be puffed and slightly crinkle. The cookies will firm up as they are cooling down.
- I recommend letting the cookies rest overnight. They taste better the next day!
- Make Ahead & Storage Instructions: This is not a cookie recipe you can make ahead of time. The dough will dry out if not handled immediately.
- Moustokouloura will keep fresh at room temperature, stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
- You may freeze moustokouloura in a freezer safe bag for up to 2 months.
- Have any questions about the recipe or want to ask for substitutions? Please contact us.
I have made this recipe 4 times since I found it late august. There is a Greek market just outside of Boston, where I had purchased a package of these cookies. After paying 8 dollars for 10 of them. I decided I could make them myself. Thank you for a terrific recipe, my whole family loves them.
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback. I’m so happy your family loves this recipe as much a I do!
This recipe brought so many childhood memories back. I was able to find petimezi on Amazon. My daughter and I baked the cookies this morning and the kitchen still smells amazing. Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you for sharing your feedback for the rest of the readers. Enjoy!