This recipe for Kourabiedes is a family favourite producing the most delicious traditional Greek butter cookies. Easy to make, studded with roasted almonds and always a favorite during the Christmas season!
1/2teaspoonvanilla extract(if you want to up the almond flavour, you can use almond extract as well)
3tablespoonsOuzo, Metaxa or Mastixa liquor
1/4lemonjuiced
4cupsall purpose flour
1cupicing sugar(aka confectioners sugar or powdered sugar)
2teaspoonsbaking powder
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
1/2cuptoasted almonds
additional icing sugar for powdering
1tablespoonrose water(optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the butter and vegetable shortening until light and fluffy. [Note: I use a stand mixer but a hand mixer can be used as well.]
Add the egg, egg yolks, vanilla extract, lemon juice and liquor and blend until incorporated.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, icing sugar, baking powder and baking soda. With the stand mixer running on low, slowly add the flour mixture until fully incorporated. Add the almonds and mix in.
Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out batter and roll them into a ball. Arrange the cookie balls onto a baking sheet leaving enough space for them to expand as they bake. Press down very lightly to flatten them out just a little.
Bake until they begin to brown underneath and get a very light golden colour, about 25-28 minutes.
Allow the cookies to cool on the rack for 5-10 minutes. Gently place cookies in a dish sprinkled with icing sugar and sift with more icing sugar until they are well covered. [If using rose water, spray the cookies with rose water just before adding the icing sugar.]
Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.
The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.
Keyword christmas cookies, cookies, greek food, snowball cookies
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