Easy Kourabiedes Recipe (Greek Butter Cookies)
Kourabiedes are traditional Greek shortbread Christmas cookies with almonds. This easy kourabiedes recipe has been in my family for generations!
Servings 45 cookies, approximately
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature (250g)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (65g)
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup blanched almonds, coarsely chopped (150g) (you could roast them before chopping, but I find they tend to get a bit hard after the cookies have baked)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g) (you may need an extra cup (125g)
- 4 cups powdered sugar for dusting after baking (480g)
- food grade rose water (optional for sprinkling) (you can easily omit the rose water-the cookies will still taste great, even without it)
Instructions
- With a hand mixer (or stand mixer), beat the butter and the ½ cup powdered sugar together, starting on low speed and then increasing to high speed. Beat for about 20 minutes.1 cup + 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature (250g), ½ cup powdered sugar (65g)
- Add the vanilla extract and mix well.2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the almonds and mix until it’s well combined. I like using a spatula, but you could also use your hands.1 cup blanched almonds, coarsely chopped (150g)
- Add the flour, ½ cup at a time, and gently mix by hand until the dough forms into a ball and is pliable. If necessary, add more flour (you may need up to 4 cups). The dough should easily come off the sides of the bowl without sticking to it. Don’t overmix. If you accidentally add too much flour and the dough becomes crumbly, just add a little melted butter until it comes together.3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 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) . Cut out different shapes with a cookie cutter. Reroll the scraps and repeat with the remaining dough.
- Transfer the cookies onto the baking sheets and bake until just light brown, about 15 – 20 minutes.
- If using rose water, lightly sprinkle or spray it onto the cookies immediately after removing them from the oven.
- Allow the cookies to cool for about 30 minutes.
- Generously dust a cookie plate with powdered sugar. Put the cookies on top and dust with the remaining powdered sugar.4 cups powdered sugar for dusting after baking (480g)
- Enjoy!
Notes
These cookies will keep for up to 2-3 weeks stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Tips for Perfect Kourabiedes:
- Use a digital scale: Weigh the ingredients for accurate results.
- Cream the butter and sugar: Beat for 20 minutes to make it light and creamy.
- Mix gently: Add flour gradually, avoiding overmixing.
- Use raw, blanched almonds instead of toasted: This will create a much softer texture.
- No need to chill: Bake immediately.
- Watch the baking time: Avoid overbaking otherwise the cookies will get hard.
- Rose water. If using rose water, sprinkle or spray it on the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven and let them cool before dusting with powdered sugar.
- Number of cookies: This will depend on the size of your cookie cutters.
