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Kourabiedes
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4.50 from 28 votes

Greek Christmas Shortbread Cookies Recipe (Kourabiethes)

Kourabiethes are delicious shortbread cookies loaded with toasted almonds and flavored with brandy.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: christmas, Oven baked
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 233kcal

Ingredients

For The Cookies:

  • 300 grams / 10.5 oz butter at room temperature
  • 50 grams / 1.7 oz granulated sugar
  • 50 grams / 1.7 oz icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 30 ml brandy
  • 200 grams / 7 oz almonds raw & unsalted
  • 500 grams / 17.6 flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • teaspoon baking soda
  • plenty of icing sugar for coating
  • OPTIONAL: rose water

Instructions

Prepare The Almonds:

  • Preheat oven to 200°C / 392°F. Half fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil, over high heat.
  • Add the almonds and boil for 2 minutes.
    Blanched Almonds
  • Drain almonds in a colander and transfer them to a bowl with cold water.
  • Remove the skins of the almonds. To do that just squeeze the skin on their pointy side for the almonds to pop out.
  • Lay the almonds on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper.
  • Roast almonds for about 10 minutes or until they get a deep golden color.
  • In a food processor, blend half the almonds until they look coarsely chopped. Blend the remaining almonds so they look finely chopped.

Make The Cookies:

  • Dissolve baking soda in the brandy and set aside.
  • Cut the butter into small squares.
    Butter In Squares
  • Cream the butter either by kneading it with your hands, or using a mixer on low speed. Just until it gets slightly creamy. Don't overwork the butter in this recipe.
  • Mix in the sugar, icing sugar, brandy and soda mixture, and vanilla extract.
    Creamed Butter
  • In a bowl combine flour and baking powder. Incorporate the flour mixture into the batter in small bits at a time.
  • Add the chopped almonds and mix until fully combined.
    Crumbly Shortbread Dough
  • NOTE: (If you make the cookies using an electric mixer let the dough rest in the fridge for 15 minutes).
  • Preheat oven to 180°C / 356°F.
  • Take small pieces of the dough (about 45 grams) and squeeze in your hand to remove air. Shape into a ball. And now the fan part: Throw the ball on your working surface in order to form a flat-bottomed ball.
  • Repeat process for remaining dough. Place cookies on a pan or your ovens tray that's covered with parchment paper.
  • Bake cookies for 20 to 25 minutes until they get a light golden brownish color.
    Baking Shortbread Balls

Coat The Cookies:

  • Add plenty of icing sugar to a large mixing bowl.
  • Add cookies to the bowl (a few at a time) and shake the bowl to coat them with sugar. Flip them once to coat on the other side as well. NOTE: It's better to do this right as they come out of the oven. While cookies are hot and sugar will stick to them.
    OPTIONAL: You may sprinkle them very lightly with rose water. This gives an extra gentle aroma and also helps the sugar stick to them even better.
  • Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with extra icing sugar on top of the cookies. Enjoy!
  • As for storing these cookies, my favorite option is to store them in a good old-fashioned cookie tin. It keeps them nice and fresh for up to 4 weeks. Or use an airtight food container instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 96mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 312IU | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg