I wish I had the way to invite you all to my humble home in Athens, just to treat you to these traditional Greek Christmas butter cookies named Kourabiedes. They’re buttery, crumbly, full of ground toasted almonds, and covered with a thick layer of powdered sugar. The absolute Christmas treat!
Imagine those goodies melting in your mouth with a hot cup of coffee in front of your fireplace on Christmas Eve, surrounded by the people you love. Priceless moments!
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Greek Christmas cookies
In Greek homes, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without skaltsounia, kourabiedes and melomakarona, the most beloved Greek Christmas cookies. You may find both of them on huge platters, along with the Christmas tree, as another Christmas focal point.
Looking at the platters, you see those cookies placed in a pyramid shape that reminds of a mountain. They are covered with powdered sugar, meaning the “mountain” is always full of “snow” and that is a childhood memory that I particularly cherish.
I remember to grab one (and two and three…who counts?), run and hide to eat it, leaving trails of sugar all over the floor, my face, and clothes ("No, it wasn't me. Santa Claus ate them" lol). It is not easy to resist a butter cookie full of sugar. That’s why the platters were usually out of children’s reach to avoid overeating all these cookies.
The recipe's history
Not interested in food history? Ok Jump to Recipe
The origins of this sweet are lost in space and time. During medieval times, the word “biscuit” came from the Latin biscuit (baking technique meaning baking bread twice) and was spread to Asia by Venetian traders. This Latin word was altered to biya/biye and incorporated into the local word Qura/Kuru (meaning dry).
The result was the new word Qurabiya/Kurabiye that came back to the West a few centuries later during Ottoman rule in the Balkans. In Greece, those dry biscuits evolved independently and their taste is completely different from the Kurabiye from which they came.
Once again, culture transcends the borders around nations and empires. How could this cookie be originated from one country or nation? Centuries of a constant journey from West to East and back, it was shared, adapted, and altered by many cultures. Culinary "journeys" like this are always so fascinating!
Ingredient shopping list
Butter. High-quality goat or sheep butter is the essence of that recipe. Its delightful light and rich flavor are what make them stand out. It isn't difficult to find that kind of goat or sheep butter in big stores. Nevertheless, you may use cow butter. You won’t get the same outcome but it will be close enough to enjoy.
Flour. I add a combination of all-purpose and hard/strong/bread flour. This mixture gives better cookies but I am not sure. Maybe it is the flour I use (it is from a bakery).
"So, how much four?", you may ask. That's the tricky part of the recipe. My family's recipe calls for flour "as much as it needs" which is the standard Greek unit of measurement (Come on! Really, mom?). Don't worry, I will give you an easy trick for the perfect quantity for your cookies.
Egg yolk. An egg yolk will add moisture to the cookie and help bind everything together.
Cognac or brandy. Alcohol enhances the overall taste profile. It contributes depth and complexity, bringing out the buttery and nutty notes in the dough.
Almonds. An essential part of the traditional recipe. They add delightful crunchiness and divine nutty flavor. You have to roast them first. It makes a huge difference.
Rosewater or flower water or Amaretto. The ingredient that makes these Christmas butter cookies a distinctive holiday treat is rosewater. For me, it is a must in that recipe. You may purchase it in hyperstores, local Greek delis, or other Middle Eastern grocers, and, of course, online.
If you don’t like it (or cannot find it anywhere) try flower water instead. However, if you don’t feel like risking with such new strong flavors, just add almond liqueur (Amaretto). It’s up to you, even though I strongly advise you to give rosewater a try!
How to make Greek Christmas butter cookies
Let’s get down to business now…
Time needed: 1 hour
Butter and eggs should be at room temperature.
- Roast the almonds
Place chopped almonds on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Let them cool.
- Beat the butter with the sugar
Beat the butter with a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer at high speed for 15 minutes until white and fluffy.
Add powdered sugar and beat another 10 minutes until it turns white and looks like whipped cream.
Butter’s color will turn into white and the texture will remind of whipped cream. - Add the rest of the ingredients and then the flour
Add all the ingredients except flour. Add gradually 5 cups and shape a cookie. If the cookie melts, add a bit more flour to the mixture and shape another cookie. Repeat until the cookie keeps its shape. Don’t overwork the dough.
- Shape and bake
Shape into thick round cookies, crescents, or balls, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 15-20 minutes in the middle oven rack until lightly golden brown.
Keep an eye all the time because kourabiedes are easy to burn during baking.
Expert tips
Between you and me .... shhhh... those tips will be our secret!
Prefer goat/sheep butter: It has a richer, more complex flavor, which adds a subtle tangy depth that enhances the taste of the cookies. The creaminess of goat or sheep butter creates a melt-in-your-mouth texture, making the cookies more delicate and flavorful compared to those made with cow butter.
Ingredients at room temperature: Butter and egg should be at room temperature. On the one hand, cold butter may cause the dough to become lumpy, and on the other, cold eggs may cause the batter to curdle or create lumps, affecting the texture of the dough.
Less flour, more crumbly cookies: When I say crumbly, I mean so soft, fragile, and delicate that you should be extremely careful how to crab it. Otherwise, the cookie falls apart.
The key to achieving this level of softness is the ratio of butter to flour. Allow me to explain. The butter gives the cookies richness and tenderness, while the flour provides structure. Using less flour results in a softer, more delicate crumb. Too much flour can make the cookies dense and dry, whereas a slightly lower flour content keeps them light, crisp, and buttery.
To achieve the perfect ratio of butter/flour, follow my instructions on the recipe card because there is a well-tested (for generations) trick.
Don't touch them until completely cool: I know you cannot wait to garnish those Christmas butter cookies with luscious layers of powdered sugar and eat them right away. Me too! Plus, it smells like heaven! Sorry, we have to wait until they are cool.
Firstly, they are very soft and crumbly when they are hot, and therefore, it is extremely difficult to move them. Secondly, the powdered sugar will melt down because of the heat and form a thick mass with an unpleasant texture on the surface. So, patience, my friends!
Mel prepping cookies
Sure, why not?
You can prepare the dough in advance, cover the bowl, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days before baking. This can help the dough firm up, making it easier to shape the cookies.
I have never frozen the dough for kourabiedes. Never thought of it. Well, I guess you shape the dough into whatever cookie shape you like, then place them on a baking sheet, and freeze until firm.
Finally, transfer the dough to a sealed container or bag for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place the frozen cookie dough on a baking sheet and bake as directed, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
My Christmas butter cookies are ready
Enjoy kourabiedes with a hot cup of coffee or herbal tea. It's a favorite Christmas snack, a must-treat for all guests. I make over 200 cookies every year (sometimes more) because I offer them as a gift along with melomakarona (Christmas honey cookies). Huge success every single year and they usually ask for more.
Serve them like Greeks. Place them on a platter and garnish with sugar. This beautiful platter, along with melomakarona (Christmas honey cookies) and skaltsounia (Christmas stuffed cookies), can make your living room inviting and festive.
Store and freeze
STORE: These Christmas butter cookies stay fresh for many days! As is well known, kourabiedes should never be stored in the fridge but kept at room temperature, instead.
Serve as many as you want and keep the rest in an airtight container to prevent them from absorbing moisture and becoming soft. Under these conditions, they keep for up to 20 days (I recommend 20 days just to be sure but I keep them even longer).
FREEZE: Arrange the cooled cookies on a baking sheet in a single layer and place it in the freezer for about 1-2 hours to flash freeze them. This helps keep their shape intact when you store them.
Once frozen, transfer the cookies to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. When you use a container, you can layer the cookies with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Seal the bag or container tightly to avoid freezer burn.
Label the container with the date so you can keep track of freshness. Kourabiedes can be frozen for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy the frozen Kourabiedes, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes. Once thawed, dust the cookies with powdered sugar just before serving.
If you make my recipe, you have to let me know! I absolutely love your feedback. This is a huge motivation for me and keeps 30daysofgreekfood’s kitchen alive. Bookmark this recipe and leave your rate and comment below, or take a photo with your Christmas butter cookies and tag me on Instagram with #30daysofgreekfood and Facebook with @30daysofgreekfood.
Recipe
Christmas Butter Cookies - Kourabiedes
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups (500g) goat or sheep butter or cow butter
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 6 tablespoons cognac or brandy
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon rosewater or flower water or Amaretto
- 1 cup (about 150g) unsalted toasted almonds, roughly chopped
- 3 cups (350g) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (350g) hard flour or bread flour or strong flour
- Powdered sugar for dusting the cookies
Instructions
- Remove the egg and the butter from the refrigerator (2-3 hours before using it). Cut it into pieces to save at least half the time.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180 °C).
- Place almonds on a baking tray and bake them for 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Let them cool.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer on high speed for 15 minutes until white and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and beat another 10 minutes until it turns white and looks like whipped cream.
- Add egg yolk and beat until incorporated for a couple of minutes. Do the same for the rest of the ingredients: cognac or brandy, baking powder, vanilla extract, toasted almonds, rosewater or flower water, or amaretto.
- Add the flour gradually with a spatula or big spoon and combine. When the dough is thick enough, use your hands to combine.
- Add gradually 5 cups and shape a cookie. If the cookie melts, add a bit more flour to the mixture and shape another cookie. Repeat until the cookie keeps its shape. Don’t overwork the dough.
- Shape into thick round cookies, crescents, or balls, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake for 15-20 minutes in the middle oven rack until lightly golden brown.
- Let them cool completely before placing them on a platter. Dust them with a generous amount of powdered sugar using a strainer.
aristea lachase says
I would love to try making your kourambiedes recipe but am confused about 'hard flour'. could you please explain. thank you.
Sylia says
Hello Aristea. Thank you for visiting my blog. Hard flour or bread flour or strong flour. The same thing but different names. These flours are high in gluten and that's how kourambiedes hold their shape and they are soft and crumbly at the same time. Tell me how it went or if you need any assistance.
natasha says
my favourite Christmas cookies. i kill for that xaxa
Sylia says
Love your excitement, Natasha! Partners in crime LOL.
XXX
Sylia