Kourampiedes recipe, Greek Christmas butter cookies with confectioner’s sugar. Kourampiedes are a kind of shortbread with almonds.
Author: Nectaria
Servings: 40-45 cookies
INGREDIENTS
For the cookies
250 gr./8.82 oz. butter
250 gr./ 8.82 oz. sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
280 gr./ 9.87 oz. olive oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg
3 tablespoons Greek ouzo or vodka
150 gr./ 5.29 oz.slivered almonds lightly toasted, chopped
1000 gr./ 35.3oz. all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
For decoration
100 gr./ 3.53 oz. ouzo or vodka
100 gr./ 3.53oz. flower water or rose water
500 gr./ 17.61 oz. confectioners’ sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 180 C° / 355 F°.
Mix together ouzo and flower water and put them in a clean plant mister.
Place almonds in an ungreased baking pan. Bake at 180 C° / 355 F° until lightly browned, 5-10 minutes, stirring several times. When cool, process in a food processor until finely chopped. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, olive oil, ouzo or vodka, almond and vanilla extract. Mix well.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and reserved almonds.
Add flour into creamed mixture and mix until soft crumbly dough is formed. Don’t over mix them.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Break off small pieces of dough, form into a small ball. Press the dough ball to flatten a bit and place on baking sheet.
Repeat until all dough it used.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until bottoms of cookies are golden brown.
Remove kourampiedes from oven and spray them with some flower water/ouzo mixture.
Carefully roll warm cookies in confectioners’ sugar. Cool on wire racks. Sprinkle with additional confectioners’ sugar.