Koulenje
Flour, eggs and baking powder come together in this side — 65 minutes, 7 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for oven and blender. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (1)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together. In a separate bowl, beat 6 eggs, then blend in the butter and milk.
- Sprinkle one tablespoon of sev dzandig (black seeds) and all the mahleb on top of the dry ingredients.
- Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in all at once, mixing with a few strokes until the dough can be turned out onto a floured board.
- Add more flour if necessary; it shouldn't be too sticky.
- Knead the mixture gently, just a few times, and then roll it out until it is ½" thick. Cut it into diamond shapes, circles, or long strips which can be rolled and braided into loaves. Prick each piece several times with a fork.
- Beat the seventh egg with additional sev dzandig (black seeds) added. Brush each piece of koulenje with this glaze and place on cookie sheet covered with baking parchment.
- Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes until slightly golden. Cool on a rack. These are best eaten warm. You can reheat them by wrapping in foil.
You'll use: Oven · Blender
Ingredient substitutions
- Eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking) · 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Milk
- any unsweetened plant milk · ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water
Tips & common questions
How long does Koulenje take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 9 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of eggs?
Try ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (baking). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Koulenje vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Recipe data for Koulenje via TheMealDB (open database). Original source. Consomee adds the scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.