Kourabiedes - Greek Butter Cookies

Name: Kourabiedes - Greek Butter Cookies
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 25 cookies
Ingredients: 100 grams almonds; 250 grams butter; 120 grams powdered sugar; 2 egg yolks; 2 tablespoon ouzo; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 375 grams flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon rosewater; 300 grams powdered sugar

User Reviews

4.8

51 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
Servings
25 cookies
Calories
223 kcal
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
Greek

Kourabiedes - Greek Butter Cookies

Elizabeth Reed

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A traditional recipe from Greece, these kourabiedes - Greek butter cookies are a great addition to your holiday baking repertoire.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the cookies:

100 grams almonds skins removed
250 grams butter unsalted (room temperature)
120 grams powdered sugar (icing sugar) sifted
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoon ouzo
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
375 grams flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon rosewater

For the topping:

300 grams powdered sugar extra for dusting

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Instructions

Place the almonds in a medium-sized pan and gently cook for 5 minutes. (Make sure to stir continuously - so the almonds don't burn). Once cooked, remove and allow to cool. (see note 1)
Add the almonds to a food processor and pulse a few times. The mixture should resemble coarse breadcrumbs. (see note 2)
Place the butter in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on medium speed for ten minutes.
Add the powdered sugar and beat again for another ten minutes.
Turn the speed down to low and add the egg yolks one at a time, followed by the ouzo and vanilla.
Add the sifted flour to the butter mixture a little at a time (I use a heaped tablespoon to do this). Make sure each tablespoon of flour is mixed before adding the next. (see note 3)
Add the almonds and mix until just incorporated.
Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out pieces of dough (mine weighed 30 grams). Form the dough into small round balls and then flatten each ball slightly and/or form it into a crescent shape.
Preheat oven to 175 deg C (350 F). Place each cookie onto a parchment-lined baking tray a few inches apart (they will spread slightly).
Bake the kourabiedes for 18-20 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and lightly spritz with rosewater or orange blossom water. Allow them to cool in the tray for 5 minutes before gently placing them on a wire rack to cool for a further five minutes. (see note 4)
Take a large baking tray or cookie sheet and dust with a cup of powdered sugar.
Take a large baking tray or cookie sheet and dust with one cup of powdered sugar. Place each kourabie on the tray and dust with the remaining icing sugar on top. (see note 6)

Notes

Instead of cooking the almonds in a pan, roast them in a hot oven for five minutes. Furthermore, try adding a splash of almond extract for an even more pronounced almond flavour.
Try roughly chopping them with a knife - if you prefer not to use a food processor to crush the almonds.
Sift your flour and powdered sugar - this will help remove any clumps.
The baking time will vary depending on the size of your kourabiedes. I use the cookie scoop as my guide - with each one weighing 30 grams, and I highly recommend you use one too.
As these are butter cookies, kourabiedes will be a lot paler in colour than regular cookies.
Be very careful when transferring the kourabiedes to be dusted as they are very delicate and could crumble - it happened to me on my first test run!