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Kourabiethes (kourabiedes) are a Greek almond shortbread type cookie that is coated in icing sugar.
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4.95 from 37 votes

Kourabiethes, (or kourabiedes)

Kourabiedes are a buttery, almond cookie coated in icing sugar
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour
Chilling time3 hours
Total Time5 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Greek
Servings: 50 cookies
Calories: 156kcal
Author: Billie Bitzas

Ingredients

  • 3 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsps baking soda
  • 1 tbsp powdered vanilla or 2 tbsp vanilla extract (see notes below)
  • cups coarsely chopped almonds
  • ½ cup melted vegetable shortening
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 cup melted unsalted butter
  • 1 ⅔ cups icing sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • cup ouzo
  • 1 tbsp rose water for sprinkling on top of cookies
  • 1 ½ cups icing sugar for coating the cookies

Instructions

  • In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and vanilla.  Set aside.
    3 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsps baking soda, 1 tbsp powdered vanilla
  • Place the chopped up almonds in a sieve and shake it over a large bowl. Catch the small almond bits in the bowl and then place the larger pieces of almonds in a frying pan and toast them over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. You will know that they are toasted when you can smell the toasted almonds. Remove the almonds from the heat, and transfer them immediately to the bowl with the small almond pieces to cool.
    1½ cups coarsely chopped almonds
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle, beat together the melted vegetable shortening, olive oil, melted butter and icing sugar.  Mix well until combined and there are no lumps of sugar visible, about 2-3 minutes.  
    ½ cup melted vegetable shortening, ½ cup olive oil, 1 cup melted unsalted butter, 1 ⅔ cups icing sugar
  • Add the egg yolks and ouzo to the bowl of your stand mixer and mix for about 4-5 minutes.
    4 egg yolks, ⅓ cup ouzo
  • With the speed of the mixer set to low, slowly incorporate the flour / baking soda / vanilla mixture (See Recipe Note).  Mix until just well combined.  Use a rubber spatula to clean the edges of your bowl and to make sure that all ingredients get incorporated.  Add the almonds to the cookie dough and mix until evenly distributed.
  • At this point I refrigerate the dough for 2-3 hours, before shaping. This will prevent the kourambiethes from spreading too much while baking. 
  • Preheat your oven to 350 °F, and place your rack in the middle of your oven.
  • Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Begin shaping your kourabiethes. Keep in mind, that the dough is oily. If you will be shaping them as crescents, use one tablespoon of dough, per crescent.  SEE NOTES BELOW. Remember, the cookies will puff up during cooking, so your crescents should be relatively thin (about an inch in diameter). I found that the best way to shape them is by rolling the dough in my hands,  ending up with a 3 inch long piece of dough, (about the width of your palm) and creating the crescent in the baking pan. If you are going to be shaping them in rounds, using a mini ice-cream scooper is a great option.  Roll the dough in your hands until you get a smooth round shape, which you can flatten slightly when in the baking tray.  Leave about 2 inches between each cookie.
  • Once you have filled up a baking tray, place in the fridge for 10 minutes before baking. After 10 minutes, remove from the fridge, and place immediately into your preheated oven. right into the oven.  This is a very important step.. It helps further reduce the amount the kourambiethes spread while baking.
  • Bake in the middle rack of your oven for approximately 12-14 minutes.  However, check them after 11 minutes. Some ovens bake quicker than others. Remove the cookies from the oven and using a pastry brush, sprinkle some rose water on the cookies.  You can also use ouzo if you prefer.  Allow the cookies to cool on the baking tray for about two minutes and then transfer them carefully to a cooling rack.
    1 tbsp rose water
  • When your cookies are completely cool, line a serving tray or container with icing sugar and set your cookies on it. Then, liberally sift icing sugar over the cookies so that they are completely covered.
    1 ½ cups icing sugar
  • Enjoy!

Video

Notes

We found the ideal weight as you're shaping the kourabiethes to be 25 grams per cookie. We find this gives the best size.
Vanilla powder versus vanilla extract
If you are using vanilla extract, add it in with the vegetable oil, shortening and butter.  If using vanilla powder, follow the instructions as described.

Nutrition

Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 134IU | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.5mg