Cookies + Desserts: Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies)
Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies) —The Story
One cookie I can’t wait to put on my cookie platter every year is the kourabiedes, or Greek butter cookies.
When I was making house calls for my podiatry practice, there was one patient I looked forward to seeing. His wife always had a large container of homemade cookies waiting for me. They were bathed in confectioners’ sugar to the point where you had to be careful not to inhale some of it before taking the first bite. I just had to have that recipe!
It took a lot of persistence to get this kind woman to consent to a baking lesson, as she was aging and didn’t feel she was quite up to the task. I promised her all she had to do was direct me from her chair. On the appointed day, I arrived with all the ingredients. She pulled out an old cookbook of Greek recipes with all her penciled-in alterations. Her anxiety quickly turned to joy as she shared childhood memories of making these cookies with her mother and grandmother. And off we went on our imaginary voyage to Greece!
The voyage and heartfelt memories have continued in my house and are now part of my own Christmas cookie tradition. Our friends Alejandra and Hector love this cookie so much that I always make sure to tuck a few extra in their holiday box every year!
What Are Kourabiedes?
Kourabiedes are almond-flavored shortbread cookies covered in powdered sugar similar to Russian tea cakes or Mexican wedding cookies. Some recipes call for brandy or rosewater, but I like to keep the flavor simple and only use vanilla extract. For the almond flavor, instead of almond flour or almond extract, I use chopped almonds to get the full flavor.
How To Make—Tips and Tricks
Kourabiedes are easy to make. What makes my method unique is instead of roasted almonds, I toss the chopped, slivered almonds into a pan with butter to cook them before adding them to a butter and flour mixture to form the dough. They’re then baked and tossed in confectioners’ sugar to make delicious bite sized snowballs that you’ll love baking at home.
Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookie) Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (1 pound) unsalted butter, softened, plus 4 tablespoons (2 ounces)
- 1 pound slivered almonds, chopped
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 11⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 to 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, as needed, for dusting cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Stir in the chopped slivered almonds. Let almonds simmer in the butter, stirring continuously, until they are fragrant; about 1 or 2 minutes. Place in a clean bowl to cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed for 5 minutes. Gradually add the egg yolks, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla. Add 1⁄2 cup of the flour. On low speed, gradually add the almonds and enough of the additional flour to form a dough that is not greasy and is easy to work with.
- Roll cookie dough into 1-inch balls or crescents. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until bottoms are lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on a wire rack to room temperature.
- Place a heaping amount of confectioners’ sugar on a piece of parchment or wax paper. Toss cookies in confectioners’ sugar. Coat generously. Place each cookie into a baking cup prior to serving. Store in an airtight container.
