One bite will transport you straight to Greece.

“These citrus-spiked, buttery cookies are traditionally served at Easter time in Greece,” writes food writer and cookbook author Ben Mims in his latest title, Crumbs. A rich, tangy, Greek dessert? Sign us up.

“They differ from most Greek sweets in that they’re made with butter and sugar,” Mims continues — so don’t break open that new bottle of olive oil. “Typically, [the cookies] are shaped like the letter ‘S’ (there are references that suggest this might be due to snake-worshiping gods), though nowadays bakers shape them into coils, twists, or braids.” Feel free to repeat that weirdly fun story when you serve up these bad boys for partygoers and well-wishers.

“What’s best about the cookies are their bright citrus taste,” Mims maintains, and we agree. Thanks to the addition of orange and lemon zest, the cookies get a potent punch of tanginess.

Pro-tip from Mims: The ingredient list includes a niche item that’s well worth the extra effort required to stock it in your pantry. “Another distinguishing characteristic of these cookies is the use of baker’s ammonia,” Mims writes, “which gives them a lightness and crispness that pairs well with coffee or tea. They also last longer when made with baker’s ammonia, so the cookies stay fresh throughout the holiday season.”

Fresh cookies paired with an afternoon Earl Grey sounds like the hack that all but guarantees perfect sweater weather.

Preparation time: 1 hour 40 minutes, plus chilling time

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Makes: About 30 cookies

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (350 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
2 teaspoons baker’s ammonia or baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 sticks (6 oz/170 g) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup (130 g) white US granulated (UK caster) sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Sesame seeds, for decorating

Instructions

Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C/Gas Mark 3). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baker’s ammonia, and salt.
In a large bowl, with a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, lemon zest, orange zest, and vanilla on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients and stir until a dough forms and there are no dry patches of flour remaining. Cover the bowl of dough with plastic wrap (cling film) and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to overnight to firm the dough.
Using a 3/4-ounce (1 1/2 tablespoons) ice cream scoop, portion the dough and roll each into a rope about 1/2 inch (13 mm) thick. Coil the rope around one end to create a snail shape or fold the rope in half and twist the lengths together to form twists. Divide the shaped dough coils/twists between the prepared baking sheets, spaced 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Make the egg wash and brush the top of each cookie, then sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds.
Bake until light golden brown and dry to the touch, 18–20 minutes, switching racks and rotating the baking sheets front to back halfway through.
Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 1 minute, then transfer them to the racks to cool completely.