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Kourambiedes – Greek almond cookie recipe

Kourambiedis opened to show the crumb
These shortbread cookies are served coated in powdered sugar at Christmas and special celebrations throughout the year.
Kourambiedis opened to show the crumb

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 opened to show the crumb

Kourambiedis – Greek almond shortbread cookies

These shortbread cookies are served coated in powdered sugar at Christmas and special celebrations throughout the year.
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: Shortbread, Greek, Christmas
Servings: 60 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
  • 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.

Notes

Kourambiedis - Almond cookies in iicing sugar

Kourambiedis – Almond cookies in iicing sugar

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2 thoughts on “Kourambiedes – Greek almond cookie recipe”

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