Easy Kourabiedes Recipe (Greek Butter Cookies)

Kourabiedes (pronounced kou – rab – YE – des) are traditional Greek cookies with powdered sugar made during Christmas or as Greek wedding cookies. In some parts of Greece they are also handed out to guests at christenings.

These traditional Greek Christmas cookies are a kind of shortbread cookie with chopped almonds inside.

Love Greek desserts? Try my Easy Greek Custard Dessert (Galaktoboureko), my Easy Baklava Rolls, or my Easy Greek Walnut Cake with Syrup (Karidopita).

What makes this recipe for kourabiedes stand out

Traditionally, these cookies are shaped by hand into small mounds or crescent moon shapes, but I roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and then use Christmas cookie cutters for festive cookies. This saves me so much time in the kitchen! Not only is this a lot faster and easier than shaping the cookies by hand, the cookies all come out the same size, which means they all bake evenly.

This is the best kourabiedes recipe and practically foolproof!

Why you'll love this recipe

• It's tried and trusted. This traditional kourabiedes recipe has been passed down to me from my Yiayia and it's well over a hundred years old!
• Simple to make. This is definitely the easiest kourabiedes recipe, as I've simplified my grandmother's version.
• Few ingredients. This recipe has less than 5 ingredients, most of which you probably already have at home.
• Amazing flavor. These Greek almond cookies taste incredible! They're buttery and crunchy with a delicate dusting of powdered sugar.
• They're festive. Thanks to the powdered sugar topping, these cookies are perfect for Christmas.

What you'll need

Ingredients for kourabiedes cookies

• Butter - I always use unsalted butter.
• Flour - You'll need all purpose flour.
• Almonds - I use raw, blanched almonds.
• Powdered sugar - I don't use granulated sugar for this recipe only powdered sugar (aka icing sugar).
• Vanilla - I use pure vanilla extract.
• Rose water (not shown above) - For more traditional kourabiedes, you could add some food grade rose water.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.

Equipment you'll need

• baking trays/baking sheets
• rolling pin
• cookie cutters
• parchment paper
• mixing bowls
• hand mixer or stand mixer

How to make these Greek butter cookies 

1. Beat the butter and the ½ cup powdered sugar for about 20 minutes. Then add the vanilla extract and mix well.

2. Add the almonds and mix until just combined.

3. I like using a spatula to fold them in, but you could also do it by hand.

4. After that, add the flour, ½ cup at a time.

5. Gradually and gently mix the remaining flour in by hand until the dough forms into a ball and is pliable.

6. If necessary, add more flour, but don't overmix. If you accidentally add too much flour, just add some melted butter to the dough. The dough should come together in one big piece that you can lift.

7. Divide the dough in half. Put half of the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it to a thickness of about an inch (2.5 cm).

8. Use your favorite cookie cutters and cut out shapes.

9. Place all the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake. Then let them cool completely.

10. Generously dust a cookie plate or platter with powdered sugar.

Recipe notes

Make-ahead options 

Easily refrigerate the dough

Cut the dough in half and wrap each one in plastic wrap. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to about 4 days. Let it come to room temperature to soften a bit when you're ready to roll it out.

Flash Freezing

I sometimes roll out the dough, cut out the shapes, and then place them on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer until the cookies are really firm and solid, about 1-2 hours. Then I place them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and label them. They can be frozen for up to about 3 months. You can bake them frozen, but they'll need a few extra minutes.

Freeze Baked Cookies Without Powdered Sugar

You can freeze these cookies after baking them, but without the powdered sugar because it absorbs too much moisture. After the cookies have cooled, layer them between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to about 2-3 months.

Storage Tips & Freezing Instructions

Store baked  and cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to about 2-3 weeks.

Unbaked dough freezes beautifully. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, defrost the dough in the fridge overnight before rolling and shaping the cookies.

Variations

• You could use almond extract, cognac (or brandy) or even ouzo instead of vanilla extract!
• For chocolate kourabiedes, add 2-3 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dough and mix by hand.
• Many traditional Greek kourabiedes recipes call for food grade rose water. You could also add some orange blossom water. Just sprinkle some on the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven. Then let them cool slightly before dusting with powdered sugar.

Frequently asked questions