Kourambiedes- Greek Christmas Cookies Recipe

Looking for the perfect holiday cookie recipe? Try my tried-and-true kourabiedes—the BEST buttery Greek cookies! Stick with the traditional recipe or add a festive twist with my gingerbread-infused version. Let me know your favorite!

Why make kourambiedes?

Indulge in traditional Greek almond cookies made for Christmas and New Year’s! Buttery, crumbly, and filled with toasted almond goodness, they melt in your mouth and are perfect for festive celebrations. Enjoying your first cookie will leave you wanting more and more!

Kourambiedes (Greek Christmas Cookies)

Don’t let the long name fool you. These cookies are light and melt-in-your-mouth cookies. Full of powdery sugar and goodness. Check out the wonderful recipe below.

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces of blanched almonds
• 1 pound of sweet unsalted butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 4 cups of sifted confectioner’s sugar (reserve 1/2 cup for dough)
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• Pinch of sea salt
• 3 tablespoons of Brandy (see notes)
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla flavoring
• 2 to 2 1/2 cups of sifted all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C. Lightly toast the almonds in the oven.
2. Add almonds to a Cuisinart and pulse the almonds until finely chopped.
3. Using a mixer, beat the butter and 1/2 cup of sugar in a large bowl for 15 minutes until light and creamy.
4. Add egg yolks, brandy, sea salt, and baking powder to the mixer.
5. Beat for 1 minute or until combined.
6. Add 1 3/4 cups of sifted flour to the butter mixture and knead.
7. Add in the remaining sifted flour and the nuts.
8. Knead the dough for about 5-6 minutes.
9. Break off a piece of dough, the size of a walnut, and shape it into a ball or oval.
10. Repeat with remaining dough and place onto an ungreased baking sheet.
11. Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until the cookies are pale and yellowish-golden in color. You don’t want them overbaked!
12. Remove cookies from the cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack.
13. Sift the remaining confectioner’s sugar over the kourambiedes until they are completely doused in sugar.
14. I usually store my cookies in a tin. You can freeze cookies and they last up to a few months.

Notes:

• Before making this traditional Greek almond cookie recipe, toast your almonds in advance for a smoother process. Ensure your butter and egg yolks are at room temperature for the perfect fluffy texture when whipping.
• Add lemon, vanilla, almond, or peppermint flavoring to the mix for different flavors. I tried all of them!! You can even add chocolate chips or sprinkles to the mix when baking with the little ones.
• You can store these cookies inside the freezer and they last for months!
• For a hint of licorice flavor, swap the brandy with ouzo in your cookies. It’s a delightful twist on the traditional Greek recipe!
• Please note everyone’s oven is different so maybe you need more or less time to bake.