How long does Kourabiedes (Greek almond shortbread) take to make?

It takes about 89 minutes in total.

Which allergens does Kourabiedes (Greek almond shortbread) contain?

It contains cereals containing gluten, tree nuts, milk and eggs. Always check the labels of the products you use.

How long does Kourabiedes (Greek almond shortbread) keep in the fridge?

Up to 4 days in the fridge, in a closed container. It can also be frozen.

Kourabiedes (Greek almond shortbread)

Name: Kourabiedes (Greek almond shortbread)
Cook time: 89 min
Total time: 89 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 400 g Wheat flour; 150 g Almonds; 1 pinch Salt; 1 teaspoon Baking Powder; 250 g Unsalted Butter; 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract; 350 g Icing Sugar; 2 tablespoons Orange Blossom Water; 2 tablespoons Brandy; 1 u Egg yolk

Kourabiedes

Easy

Contains allergens

Cereales con glutenFrutos de cáscaraLecheHuevos

Author: Equipo Cocinoa
Preparation time: 89 min
Servings: 8

Summary

An easy recipe for 8 servings. It takes about 89 minutes to make. It is vegetarian.

The butter and toasted almond biscuits of a Greek Christmas, shaped into crescents or little rounds, so tender they melt in the mouth and buried in icing sugar. With an optional splash of brandy or ouzo.

Ingredients

8 servings

400 g Wheat flour (roughly, as much as the dough takes)
150 g Almonds (blanched)
1 pinch Salt
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
250 g Unsalted Butter (at room temperature, very soft)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
350 g Icing Sugar (50 g for the dough and the rest for coating)
2 tablespoons Orange Blossom Water (or rose water, for sprinkling) (optional)
2 tablespoons Brandy (or ouzo) (optional)
1 u Egg yolk

Instructions

Toast the almonds on a tray in the oven at 170 °C for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden inside and fragrant. Let them cool and chop them with a knife into pieces the size of a grain of rice.
15 min
Beat the butter with 50 g of the icing sugar using an electric whisk for 8 to 10 minutes, until almost white, fluffy and increased in volume.
10 min
Add the yolk, brandy and vanilla and beat for another minute.
2 min
Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt. Fold it into the butter a little at a time with a spatula, then add the almonds. Knead just until you have a soft dough that does not stick to your hands; if it is sticky, add a little more flour. Do not overwork it or the biscuits will be hard.
5 min
Heat the oven to 170 °C conventional (160 °C fan) and line two baking trays with baking paper. Divide the dough into pieces of about 25 g and shape them into slightly flattened balls or crescents. Space them 3 cm apart. If the dough is very soft, chill them for 20 minutes.
15 min
Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, one tray at a time, until firm, with lightly golden bases and still pale tops.
22 min
Leave them on the tray for 5 minutes without touching them. Sprinkle them with the orange blossom water and sift a layer of icing sugar over them while they are still warm.
5 min
Once completely cold, roll them one by one in the rest of the sugar and pile them on a plate or in a tin, dusting more sugar between the layers.
15 min

Notes

In Greece kourabiedes are a must at Christmas and New Year: they are made in large batches, piled high on a plate under a drift of sugar and offered to every visitor alongside melomakarona, the honey biscuits. They are similar to Spanish polvorones, but made with butter and with a softer crumb. The recipe makes about 35 to 40 pieces. The secret is to beat the butter and sugar for a long time, until almost white and fluffy: that gives them their light texture. The almonds must be toasted and chopped into small pieces, not ground. Many Greek homes use sheep's or goat's butter; good unsalted cow's butter works very well. The brandy or ouzo is optional and does not taste of alcohol after baking. Bake at 170 °C conventional (160 °C fan) for 20 to 22 minutes: they are done when the bases are lightly golden and the tops are still pale. They are very fragile straight from the oven; let them firm up before touching them and do not coat them fully while hot, or the sugar melts into a paste. Some families press a clove into each one. Make-ahead plan: they keep for two to three weeks in an airtight tin in a cool place, with their sugar, so you can bake them in early December. They also freeze, baked and uncoated, for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature and coat them afterwards.

More information

Guide indicatorsDifficulty, quality and data reliability

Guide indicators

Estimated difficulty55/100
Recipe completeness65/100
Nutrition reliability: Medium

Calculated automatically from the ingredients, steps, time and community feedback. They are not a guarantee.

StorageKeeps 4 days in the fridge

Cuisine: GreekKeeps 4 days in the fridgeFreezer friendlyGood for batch cooking

Frequently asked questions

How long does Kourabiedes (Greek almond shortbread) take to make?: It takes about 89 minutes in total.
Which allergens does Kourabiedes (Greek almond shortbread) contain?: It contains cereals containing gluten, tree nuts, milk and eggs. Always check the labels of the products you use.
How long does Kourabiedes (Greek almond shortbread) keep in the fridge?: Up to 4 days in the fridge, in a closed container. It can also be frozen.
Which diets is this recipe suitable for?: It is vegetarian.