Christmas Almond Cookies (Kourabiedes)
These delicious Greek Christmas cookies have a roasted almond buttery taste and a crunchy texture that melts in your mouth. These cookies are baked once a year during the Christmas holidays in most Greek households.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups butter good quality unsalted and room-temp
- ½ cup confectioner sugar plus extra for coating½
- 30 ml brandy or rum
- ½ cup almonds roasted and finely chopped
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160℃. Place the almond onto a pan with a piece of parchment paper and place in the oven for 15 minutes. When ready set aside to cool. Add the almonds to a blender and finely chop for 10 seconds on medium speed.
- Add the butter and confectioner sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer. Start at low speed and gradually bring it up to high. Whip for 20 to 25 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Combine the dry ingredients. With a spoon gradually add the flour to the batter and whip while whipping at low speed. Pour in the brandy and vanilla extract and continue to whip. Use a rubber spatula to clear the edges of the bowl.
- Take the bowl off the stand mixer and add in the roasted almonds. Place it back on the stand mixer at low speed for a few seconds. Place a sheet of parchment paper on your baking pan.
- Roll the dough in your hands until you form a small round-shaped ball. Use your thumb to press down in the middle of the ball and place it on the paper.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Set them aside to cool off before coating the cookies with confectioner sugar.