Go Back Email Link
+ servings
Bite shot of a Kourabiedes cookie

Recipe for Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies)

Catherine
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!
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Greek
Servings 40 cookies
Calories 161 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (if you want to up the almond flavour, you can use almond extract as well)
  • 3 tablespoons Ouzo, Metaxa or Mastixa liquor
  • 1/4 lemon juiced
  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup icing sugar (aka confectioners sugar or powdered sugar)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup toasted almonds
  • additional icing sugar for powdering
  • 1 tablespoon rose 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 161kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 78mgPotassium: 31mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 161IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 1mg

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
Tried this recipe?Leave a star rating and comment below to let us know how it was!