Traditional Kourabiedes Cookies
A festive staple come Christmas time in Greece, these nutty butter cookies are deliciously soft and make for a delicious sweet snack!
- VE
These deliciously soft and nutty butter cookies are a festive staple come Christmas time in Greece. Kourabiedes are basically Greek almond cookies. Of course, people always try alternatives, like replacing the almond with pistachio - but I have to say I prefer an authentic Kourampiedes recipe.
As well as Kourabiedes, we make Melomakarona at Christmas - a honey-soaked orange and spice cookie. Together, these two make up a crucial Greek foodie Christmas tradition, so we always make plenty! They’re also the traditional gift of choice when you’re invited around to somebody’s house for a Christmas get-together or house party - instead (or as well as!) a bottle of wine, we will bake up a plate piled high with Melomakarona and Kourabiedes. The rose water is optional, but I love the slight floral note it adds. Make sure not to add too much, though, as if you’re heavy-handed it can add a medicinal flavor. Rose goes perfectly with the almond and vanilla flavors, though, so don’t miss it unless you dislike it!
This Kourabiedes recipe might be different from your traditional British or American Christmas sweet treats, as it doesn’t contain oranges, spices, or dried fruit. But I can guarantee you will love this; this is one Greek festive food tradition you simply have to try!
Ingredients
Tips
If you’re like me and enjoy almonds without their skin, simply boil them for 2-3 minutes in order to easily peel off the outer layer. It’s just that simple!
Directions
You will need about 1 hour 20 minutes to make 50 pieces of this recipe, which has approximately 120 calories each. Make sure you have all the ingredients and follow these 10 simple steps. If you have any questions, send me an email and I’d be more than happy to help!
Roast the almonds on a baking tray at 180°C (350°F) for 14 minutes or until golden brown, then set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Place the roasted almonds into a blender and pulse them lightly. We want some texture to remain while achieving small chunks instead of complete pulverization.
For a smooth and creamy consistency, use a stand mixer to combine the butter and icing sugar on medium speed for 20 minutes. Optionally, you can add brandy and then mix again for an additional 5 minutes.
Gently sift together the flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl to create the perfect blend of ingredients for your recipe.
Incorporate the flour and baking powder into a stand mixer bowl, stirring until everything is unified.
As you mix, fold in the roasted almonds until they are fully blended with the dough.
Scoop out a small amount of dough, roll it into a ball and delicately flatten it with your hands to form the perfect round cookie.
Place the cookies in a baking tray covered with parchment paper and bake them in a preheated oven at 180º C (350º F) for about 22 minutes or until they’re lightly golden.
After baking, lightly mist the treats with rose water and let them cool for roughly thirty minutes.
Generously pour icing sugar into a bowl and roll each cookie until the outside is completely covered. Then, place the cookies on a plate and top them with an extra layer of decoration - more icing sugar!
Watch it step-by-step!
Traditional Kourabiedes Cookies
This Kourabiedes recipe is central to our household’s foodie festivities come Christmas. That mixture of butter and almond makes for an authentic Kourampiedes recipe, and they’re just one of the best Greek Christmas cookies I can think of (though I do love Melomakarona too!).
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By far the easiest and tastiest kourampiedes recipe I’ve tried! Bravo!!!!
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