Kourabiedes: Greek Almond Butter Cookies in Powdered Sugar

Kourabiedes (singular kourabies) are Greek butter cookies packed with toasted almonds and buried in a snowy coat of powdered sugar. They are tender and crumbly, almost melting in the mouth, and are baked for Christmas and New Year as well as for weddings, christenings and name days. On a festive Greek table they usually sit beside melomakarona, the honey-soaked cookies, so there is one rich and buttery treat and one syrupy one.

Kourabiedes recipe

Serves: about 30 cookies. Prep: 30 minutes. Cook: 18–22 minutes. Total: about 1 hour 30 minutes, including cooling.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
• ⅓ cup (40 g) powdered (icing) sugar, plus about 2 cups (250 g) for coating
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp brandy, ouzo or orange juice
• ¾ cup (100 g) blanched almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
• 2½ cups (310 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• A pinch of fine sea salt
• 2 tbsp rose water or orange blossom water (optional), for sprinkling

Method

1. Toast the almonds in a dry pan or at 350°F (180°C) for 6–8 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Cool and chop.
2. Beat the butter with ⅓ cup powdered sugar for 8–10 minutes until very pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla and brandy.
3. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt, then fold them in with the almonds to make a soft dough. Chill for 15 minutes if it is too soft to shape.
4. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C, 160°C fan). Shape tablespoons of dough into balls or crescents and place them on lined trays.
5. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until set and only very lightly golden underneath.
6. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle lightly with rose or orange blossom water if using.
7. Sift a thick layer of powdered sugar into a tray, set the warm cookies on it and sift more sugar generously over the top. Let them cool completely in the sugar.

Whip the butter for longer than you think

The texture of kourabiedes comes from the butter. Beating it with a little powdered sugar for a full 8–10 minutes, until it turns almost white, traps air and gives the cookies their light, short crumb. Use soft, but not melted, butter and a stand or hand mixer. Some Greek cooks use sheep’s or goat’s milk butter for a richer flavour; ordinary unsalted butter works well too.

Toasted almonds

Toasting the almonds deepens their flavour and keeps them crunchy inside the soft cookie. Blanched almonds give a pale cookie; skin-on almonds add colour and a slightly bitter edge. Chop them roughly rather than grinding them fine. Almonds are a tree nut, one of the nine major food allergens recognised by the US FDA, along with wheat, eggs and milk, which are also in this recipe, so label kourabiedes clearly if you give them as gifts.

The powdered sugar coat

Kourabiedes are coated twice in effect: once while warm, so a thin layer melts and sticks, and again once cool, so a thick, dry layer settles on top. Some families sprinkle the warm cookies with rose water or orange blossom water before the sugar, which helps it cling and adds a gentle floral aroma. Store them in a tin with the extra sugar, and dust with fresh sugar just before serving.

Shapes and traditions

• Balls or domes: the most common shape today, easy to make evenly.
• Crescents: a traditional alternative, often for name days.
• A clove on top: some families press a whole clove into each cookie before baking, a custom linked to the Christmas story.
• Spirits: a spoonful of brandy or ouzo is traditional and mostly bakes off; orange juice works if you prefer.

Troubleshooting

• Cookies spread flat: the butter was too warm; chill the shaped dough for 15 minutes.
• Hard cookies: too much flour or overbaking. Add flour just until the dough holds together and take them out while still pale.
• Sugar won’t stick: coat them while still warm, and use the flower water if you like.

Storing kourabiedes

Kept in an airtight tin at room temperature, in their bed of sugar, kourabiedes stay good for about two weeks. Separate layers with baking paper. They also freeze well before coating: thaw, warm briefly in the oven and coat in sugar.

Serve them with Greek coffee or tea. For more Greek holiday baking, see our koulourakia, baklava and olive oil cake, all in the Greek pantry recipes.

Sources

• US FDA: Food allergies, what you need to know (the 9 major food allergens)

Kourabiedes: frequently asked questions