Have you ever heard of kourabiedes before? Apparently these little crescent shaped treats also go by the name of Greek Christmas cookies! But it’s September now, and we just can’t wait for that long, can we?
Christmas or not.
I am making these today!
Why, because it would be a shame to leave this recipe behind!
These are absolutely to die for.
Easy Greek Kourabiedes Cookies
Whenever I make these kourabiedes, they never last long.
Their texture also kind of reminds me of French shortbread cookies, or sablés. The cookies are quite fragile and easily fall apart when you bite in them. That is what gives you that sweet melt in your mouth kind of feeling.
And we love it!
I used vanilla sugar in the dough here as well. But you can also add a few drops of vanilla extract. And oh, shape the cookies just the way you want. But I guess I have said that before.
Have fun!
Do you love making and baking cookies at home?
Then you should also check out another treat that you will adore: my viennese biscuits!
Enjoy!
Easy Greek Kourabiedes Cookies Recipe
Have you ever heard of kourabiedes before? These little sugary bites are Greek Christmas cookies! Homemade and just delicious...
- 9 oz unsalted butter (250 g), soft
- 2 oz icing sugar (55 g)
- 9 oz plain flour (250 g)
- 4,5 oz almonds (125 g), peeled
- 1 tbsp vanilla sugar (optional)
- 1 egg yolk
- salt
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Transfer the almonds to a blender (you can roast them in advance to give the cookies that little extra touch) and blendb them into a fine crumble. Then pour this crumble on a plate and put it aside until later.
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Add the soft butter, plain flour, icing sugar and vanilla sugar (optional) to the blender now. Season with a little pinch of salt.
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Add the almond crumble and blend a few times more.
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Then add the egg yolk.
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Blend quickly. Remove the cookie dough from the blender using a spatula and transfer it onto a clean surface.
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Knead the dough. Add extra flour if the dough is too sticky. Knead the dough for couple of minutes. Divide it into even portions. I made 1 oz (30 g) portions. Shape the portions into flat discs or crescents.
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Place them onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 356° (180°C) for 15 to 20 minutes until they start to brown. Remove the cookies from the oven (careful, they are fragile) and let them cool down. Sprinkle generously with extra icing sugar and serve.
Butter Almond Cookies
Kourabiedes, that’s quite a funny name.
I have said it already, you can also find them under the name of Greek Christmas cookies. Bit there are other names for is as well. Greek butter cookies for instance. Or wedding cookies.
Kourabiedes are sweet melt in your mouth butter almond cookies and a staple in Greek families especially around Christmas time. The dough consists of very simple ingredients. Butter, sugar, almonds, eggs and flour.
How easy could it really be?
Baking Assignment
This is such an easy recipe to make that you can let your children or grandchildren help you.
Shaping the cookies is also a fun thing to do with kids. The traditional shape is a crescent like cookie. However let the kids get creative and make different shapes!
I’m telling you, they will have a great time.
And so will you!
Qurabiya
The word kourabies comes from the Turkish kurabuye or the Arabic qurabiya, which means double-baked. Reminds me of my twice baked Italian cantucci!
The word biscuit became biya or biye. This word was combined with the Turkish or Arabic word for dry (qura or kuru), and formed the word qurabiya or kurabiye.
This word was then borrowed back by the Greeks and became kourabies.
Thanks for put this beautiful cookies, I tried it today. I will take it to a friend’s dinner. Thank you again!