Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies)

Name: Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 8½ cup flour; 1½ cup butter; 1 cup sugar; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1½ cup sunflower or canola oil; 2 egg yolks; 1 tsp Baking soda; 1½ cup crushed almonds; 1½ cup caster sugar; 1 tbsp Rose water

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Kourabiedes are nutty cookies that are a part of ancient cuisines in European countries. The word Korabiedes originated from the Arabic word Qurabiya. They are known to have been first made in Persia and were later introduced in parts of Turkey, Anatolia, Greece, and Cyprus. It belongs to a class of cookíes known as shortbread. The technique requires the ingredients to be in a specific proportion i.e. one part sugar, two parts of butter, and 3 parts óf flour. The baked cookies are coated with white powdered sugar, resembling the snowfall at the time of Christmas.

Contents

Kourabiedes, Greek Melomakaronas, and Greek Baklava are served at festivities. These are traditional Greek desserts for Christmas celebrations or as wedding cakes due to their resemblance to Mexican Wedding Cookies. And why shouldn’t they be, they are so easy to make, yet so delicious and crunchy. So the more you eat, the more you indulge in this sweet goodness. Serve them at your evening tea parties or post-dinner coffee times.

Kourabiedes Ingredients

8 ½ cup flour
1 ½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cup sunflower or canola oil
2 egg yolks1 tsp Baking soda
1.5 cups crushed almonds
1.5 cups caster sugar
1 tbsp. Rose water

Ingredient Notes and Variations

Since Kourabiedes is essentially a type of shortbread, its ingredients and baking time make a great impact on its final texture.

Butter

Butter is a foundational ingredient in this Greek recipe. Be sure to use premium quality unsalted, cow’s milk or sheep butter. In most of my recipes, I have suggested using butter after keeping it at room temperature, but this one is a bit different. Use cold butter, straight out of the refrigerator into the processor.

Almonds

Although some recipes may suggest adding walnuts, I have always used roasted and chopped almonds to give it the same traditional taste. After roasting them, allow ample time to cool them because if you add them hot, they will cause the butter to melt. We need the dough and its ingredients to be cool at all times so that the cookies maintain their shape till the end.

Rose water

Although it is not an essential ingredient, adding rose water makes your cookies aromatic. It might be difficult to find it at your regular superstore so you may have to check an online store to buy it.

Powdered sugar

Granulated sugar is added while the dough is formed, but powdered sugar is more important. We will need an ample amount to cover the cookies entirely in white powder sugar.

How to make Kourabiedes?

Step 1. Preparing the dough

Preheat the oven to 365°F

Take 2 medium-sized baking trays and line them with greased parchment paper. Sprinkle a bit of flour on the sheets too.

Take a medium-sized mixing bowl. Cream butter and vanilla essence with sugar with the help of an electric beater until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk one by one and keep beating. Add Oil slowly. Continue until the ingredients blend well together and the mixture becomes fluffy.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour with baking soda. Dry roast the almonds in a pan until they are fragrant. Chop them in a food processor but don’t grind them to a powder form. Keep them coarse. Add the chopped nuts to the flour.

Mix the egg mixture with flour with the help of a beater at a slow speed. Add rose water. Rose water gives the cookies a signature aroma.

Once the ingredients have combined, grease your hands and knead the dough until it is well-formed. Cover and Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 2. Shaping the cookies

Grease your hands and take a small amount of dough. Roll in between the palms and give the shape of the cookies. Press in between the cookies just a little so that the cookie gets fully baked. Make the cookies and set them on the lined baking tray.

Step 3. Baking

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the top becomes slightly golden.

Remove from the oven. Be careful not to handle hot cookies as they might break. Allow them to cool for approx 15 minutes. Shift them on a cake rack so that they cool down completely.

Step 4. Serving

Coat them well with powdered sugar before serving. Place them in an airtight container to keep them fresh for longer.

Tips to make the best Kourabiedes

The main problem novice bakers face while baking Kourabiedes is that the cookie flattens out and looks like a pancake when baked. There are a few tips to avoid this.

First, shape the cookie correctly. Take a small-sized dough ball in your hand and press just gently. In the center, press a finger to make a dimple-like hollow. This allows the cookie to cook well from the side while maintaining its shape.
Prevent the butter from melting. Use it straight out of the fridge and avoid adding hot roasted nuts.
When placing the Kourabiedes on the lined baking sheet, make sure not to put them too close. Keep them at least 1 to 2 inches apart so that they do not get meddled when they spread.
When you have set the cookies on one tray, place the tray in the refrigerator so that the butter gets set and does not leave its shape before baking.

Baking tips

The most important baking tip is to avoid over-baking the cookies. Since they do not get too brown, it is quite tricky to know when they are just right-baked. Just keep them in an oven for 15 minutes or until they get a light tint on the cookie top.
Do not touch the cookies when they are hot. The butter is still in melted form and is not yet settled. Touching cookies might break them.
When they are slightly cooled, place them on a cake rack to cool them. Be careful to handle them because they might crumble before fully cooling down.

How to store Kourabiedes?

Kourabiedes can stay fresh for a long time, provided that they are stored properly. I always baked extra batches to last for the entire Christmas holidays, and here are a few tips to store these buttery cookies.

Wrap the leftover Kourabiedes platter tightly with cling film to keep them fresh for the whole day.
As for the rest of the batch, put the leftover Kourabiedes in an airtight container. This will keep them fresh for 2 to 3 weeks even without putting them in the refrigerator.
If you want to store the dough for later use, you can wrap it in cling film and place it in the refrigerator. However, it’s better to use the dough the same day it is kneaded.

Alternate Greek Dessert Recipes

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Kourabiedes sometimes crescent-shaped?

Kourabiedes is an ancient traditional dish which has originated in Byzantine, Anatolia, and other Turkish and Greek areas. Legend says that when Turks occupied Greece, they shaped these cookies in a crescent shape to honor the Turk flag. Kourabiedes are now usually made in round shape.

What does Kourabiedes mean in Greek?

Kourabiedes is a Greek Christmas cookie that has its origins in Turkey. It is also called Qurabaya. The Turkish root letters ‘kuru’ means ‘dry’ and ‘biye’ means ‘biscuit’. They are as old as the 7th century and were often baked to celebrate festivals.

What are Kourabiedes made of?

Kourabiedes are called cookies in Greece, but technically they belong to a class of baked goods known as shortbread. They are made up of flour, butter, sugar, and almonds. In some recipes, orange juice, cognac, or rose water is also added. Walnuts or pecans can replace almonds, and to make them gluten-free, you can always use almond meals.

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