Kourabiedes Greek Butter Cookies – Taste 'N' Dash
Kourabiedes are a traditional Greek butter cookie covered with layers and layers of icing sugar. They are usually served for special occasions such as Christmas but I grew up eating these cookies all year round.
There are many versions out there but this is my family’s recipe on my mom’s side that I am about to share.
To this day I still can’t pronounce the name Kourabiedes so lets just roll with shortbread butter cookies. Shhh… don’t tell the fams.
If you have a cookie exchange party or a holiday party coming up these are the ideal cookies to bring. They are so festive with their snowy white icing and placed in a red tin, you are good to go.
Now lets talk ingredients- unsalted butter, sugar (not pictured), egg, vanilla, baking powder, flour, whole spice cloves (not pictured) and icing sugar.
And yes, the main ingredient is Butter. But hey, all in moderation is my motto. Tis the season..right?!?! 😉
Cream room temp butter until light, beat in egg, sugar and vanilla.
Sift the baking powder and flour then combine with the butter mixture. Start with one cup of flour at a time. You may only need three cups.
You are looking for the right consistency to form a ball like shown below. The dough should not be sticky. If the dough is sticky continue to add more flour.
Roll one tablespoon of dough into small balls and place on a baking sheet. No need to spread apart as the cookies do not travel far when cooking.
We also add one single whole spice clove in the center of the ball on half of the batch of cookies. I do prefer the spice clove. The flavor and aroma is subtle but definitely takes the cookie to a whole new level.
Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or till lightly brown.
Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool with parchment paper underneath the wire rack.
Sift icing sugar over entire cookie. Don’t be shy.
Before relocating to a plate or container add icing sugar to the bottom then place the cookies down.
For good measure go ahead and sift a little more icing sugar. You won’t regret. Most recipes call for the icing sugar to completely cover the entire cookie anyways.
These little guys will melt in your mouth…literally. But I should warn you to not inhale when biting into the cookie or you will cough due to the high pile of icing sugar.
Hope you Enjoy as much as I do!
Kourabiedes aka Greek Butter Cookies
2014-12-14 23:02:04
Yields 4
- 1 lb. unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3-4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Whole spice cloves
- 2-3 cups Icing sugar
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Cream butter until light.
- Beat in egg, sugar and vanilla.
- Sift the baking powder and flour then blend into the butter mixture. Start with a cup of flour and add a cup at a time. Three cups usually but if you continue to have a sticky dough add more flour. You are looking for the right consistency to form a ball.
- Shape one tablespoon of dough into a ball and place on a baking sheet.
- Insert whole spice clove in the center of the ball.
- Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly brown.
- Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
- Sift icing sugar over entire batch of cookies.
- Before relocating to a plate or container add icing sugar to the bottom then place cookies down.
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