Classic Greek Almond Cookies

Kourambiedis have always been my favourite Greek cookie/confection. One of the best parts of holiday dinners was unwrapping the packages from the bakery on Broadway in Greektown and sneaking an early piece or two. I loved them enough that it was one of the things I learned to make early in my teens for family parties.

Some recipes make kourambiedis with slivered almonds, but I prefer the crumblyness that is given by substituting part of the wheat flour with almond flour aka almond meal.

Kourambiedis - Almond cookies in iicing sugar — Kourambiedis Almond cookies in iicing sugar

Kourambiedis – Greek almond shortbread cookies

These shortbread cookies are served coated in powdered sugar at Christmas and special celebrations throughout the year.

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Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 25

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: Shortbread, Greek, Christmas

Servings: cookies

Ingredients

1 lb butter
1/4 cup icing sugar
1 lb flour remove 1 cup to allow for the almond flour
1 cup almond meal
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp Baking powder

Instructions

A food processer is great for this recipe. Shortbread is all about lightness and a food processor really helps to whip the ingredients together. Otherwise, an electric mixer and/or a very strong arm.

MIxing the dough

Remove one cup of flour from the weighed pound, and replace it with the almond flour, mixing the two together with the icing sugar
Whip the butter until it is light and fluffy
Beat the vanilla and egg into the butter and whip until they are fully incorporated
Add the flour/almond mixture in stages, using the food processor for as much of this as possible
After mixing the dough, smooth it into a ball and wrap it in plastic to keep it from drying out while you store it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight

Shaping and baking the cookies

Preheat the oven to 325º
Scoop out small amouns of the dough and shape them into a ball or an oblong around the size of a walnut
Place them on a baking sheet
Traditionally, you place a clove in the cookie where it would indicate a cross, in the top third of an oblong, or the centre of the circle. This also flavours the cookie as it bakes. The clove is removed to eat the cookie
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes at 325º
Watch them carefully for the last 5 minutes to make sure they don't brown.

Finishing the cookies

When the cookies are completely cooled, sift icing sugar over them until they are covered.
They are tasty right away, but get better after they have aged a day or so.