Deck The Halls With Kourabiethes (Greek Christmas Cookies)
I am very lucky to share a wonderful Greek cookie recipe all the way from the down under, Australia. 🙂 Please welcome my friend and wonderful Greek foodie Mary Dionisopoulos.
Mary made these delicious kourabiethes on Facebook that caught my eye. You might have seen these cookies on my blog numerous of times. What is kourabiethes you ask?
Kourabiethes are Greek buttery melt in your mouth powdered sugar cookies made with crushed almonds, butter, powdered sugar, flour, and eggs.
Kourabiethes can be made various ways, depending on what region you are from in Greece. Dating back to around 1453 Greeks started making these tasty cookies. For some interesting history on these cookies please do visit >> http://beekman1802.com/its-all-greek.
Let’s get to the fun part, the recipe!!
Deck The Halls With Kourabiethes
By: Mary Dionisopoulos, Australia
Photo Credits: Mary Dionisopoulos
Ingredients:
- I kg of all purpose flour (plain)
- 500 grams unsalted butter
- 160 grams of caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar ( or vanilla extract)
- 200 grams of blanched almonds
- (Toasted for 5 to 10 minutes) @ 200 *C
- Icing sugar for dusting
- 1-2 tablespoons of rose water
- 1-2 tablespoons of ouzo (You can use ouzo or rose water) once the cookies have cooled down
Method:
- I firstly placed the blanched almonds in the oven for 5-10 minutes till light brown, then allow them to cool.
- Remove butter from the fridge, two hours prior to baking. Let butter become soft at room temperature. (Important step. )
- Place 500 grams of butter in a mixer, mix for a minimum of 20 minutes till soft & light in color. Add 160 grams of caster sugar in mixer. Mix till sugar has mixed well with butter.
- Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer, then all the cool almonds to the mix, mix with a wooden spoon. Add the rosewater, vanilla sugar, then slowly add the grated flour.
Mix contents with a wooden spoon.
When you are ready to mix with your hands, I used kitchen gloves, to prevent my body heat from melting the butter whilst I continue to mix the mixture. - Then get your trays to mold your biscuits in your desired shapes, I chose stars & almonds shaped place them in an oven 160*C to 180*C for 20-25 minutes.
- Allow to cool, then before you dust with icing sugar, I sprayed rose water over the biscuits then dusted them with icing sugar. (You can replace rose water with ouzo)
Thank you Mary for the wonderful recipe! It’s perfect for this time of the year, and I do hope the viewers will enjoy it.
“Kali Orexi Kai Kales Giortes.” Bon Appetite & Happy Holidays.
Be sure to check out Mary on Facebook & Twitter. I attached the links below. 🙂
Hi.. there’s no mention of the ouzo in the preparation instructions
Hello!
Thank you for stopping by my blog.
This is a featured recipe by a foodie from Australia. The recipe states that you can use either ouzo or rose water.
Please see below-
Step 6 :
Allow to cool, then before you dust with icing sugar, I sprayed rose water over the biscuits then dusted them with icing sugar. (You can replace rose water with ouzo)
Great cookie recipe! Thank you for sharing this again, I missed your past posts of this one. And of course, Merry Christmas my dear! xoxo
Thank you dear friend!!
I love the festive shapes 🙂 Kourabiethes are one of my favorite cookies and these look delicious. My mom makes them pretty often and just gave some a couple of weeks ago. They lasted maybe an hour 😉
They are one of my favorites too. I am actually going to try out this shape soon as I have a start shape cookie cutter here. 🙂 I know, when I fill mine with peppermint candies those go first. lol 😛 Thanks for stopping by Antonia.
Decadent, and very festive!! <3
Thanks Gina! I agree. 🙂
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Thank you very much Krystina for sharing my recipe. Really enjoyed making them. Delicious Christmas treat.
You’re very welcome Mary! I’m super happy I could add you into the “featured” recipes on Kouzounas Kitchen.
Well done Mary!! Love them!
🙂 🙂 Thanks for enjoying Gina mou.
These look beautiful! I once received some of these from a Greek girl that I worked with and remember how nice they were. I may have to get some ouzo and give them a try myself.
Thank you very much. Sorry for the late reply.
Yes ouzo really adds a lovely touch to these. Have a beautiful day.
Scrumptious! I am mentally nibbling on them 😉
Hahaha thank you koukla.
-Polla filia xoxox
I like the star shape!
Me too, me too!! ðŸ˜
I do too Effie!
🙂 🙂
Gina you might get some for Xmas if Santa has you on the good liar lol.
LOLOL ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸŽ…🎅🎅🎅
🌲🌲🌲🌲ðŸŽðŸŽðŸŽðŸŽðŸŽâ¤ï¸â¤ï¸â¤ï¸â¤ï¸â¤ï¸
<3 <3
🙂 🙂
Well…gimme, gimme, gimme Koukla! I love them!
Lol, I wish I can send you some of these. I really enjoyed Mary’s recipe. I love making these too. <3
YiaYia made them crescent shaped, I make them round small drop shape, I’ll just have to make a batch pronto…
Oh nice!! I make them round drop shape but I want to try to do the star shape. 🙂 I can make you a batch. I have mailed out to the east coast before to a lady who was craving Greek cookies, and she had me mail them to her the next week lol. She has been a fan ever since. 🙂
Anyone who has never had one must try them and Mary’s recipe is the bomb Koukla!
Yes she did an amazing job! Sorry this is such a late reply.
Polla filia xoxox