Prep & Cook Time: 2 Hours
Skill: Easy
Servings: 32 pieces @35g each
If melomakarona had a sidekick, it would definitely be kourabiedes or is it the other way around? The big debate is melomakarona or kourabiedes, which do you prefer? Personally, I love them both and can’t imagine a Christmas without them. These delicious melt-in-your-mouth almond shortbread-like cookies covered with icing sugar are the perfect accompaniment to your coffee or tea.
It’s believed kourabiedes originated in Persia during the 7th century and found their way to Greece during the Ottoman Empire. There are many different ways of making kourabiedes. In Greece, they are made with chopped/ground almonds and cognac and sometimes scented with rose water. You can substitute the cognac with ouzo and even use pistachios instead of almonds. Making kourabiedes is relatively simple; however, it does take some practice as they can spread out flat or be too dense.
Let’s get started!
The two things I found when making these kourabiedes at home are ensuring the butter’s temperature and shortening be just right. The original recipe I received called for the butter to be at room temperature; however, leaving the butter out overnight yielded a yummy but flat spread-out cookie. It’s best to chill your shortening and have your butter so that you can leave an imprint with your finger. Additionally, I cut the butter and shortening into cubes.
First, you’ll need to measure the ingredients and sift the flour. The first time I made these kourabiedes, I chopped the blanched almonds in my food processor, which made them almost like almond flour. The second time I made them, I hand-chopped sliced blanched almonds to nearly a powder. I prefer the sliced hand-chopped almonds better because you get more of a nutty crunch, but both ways are equally yummy. You can also toast your sliced almonds in the oven ahead of chopping to add more flavour to your cookies but make sure to toast them only a little so they don’t taste burnt or bitter.
With a high-speed mixer, beat the butter and shortening on high for 4 minutes. Then add the icing sugar, semolina, baking powder, cloves, brandy, vanilla, and lemon zest and beat for an additional 4 minutes. Now because I made these SEVERAL times to get them just right, the last batch I made, I decided to add 1 tsp of almond extract as well. That just took my kourabiedes over the top; they were yummy, like rock star status, lol!
On low beat in the flour 1/3 at a time then beat on high for 5 minutes. At this point, you need to check the consistency of your dough. Is it soft and sticky, or is it crumbly? If the dough mixture is too sticky (usually if you hand chop your sliced almonds), slowly add some more sifted flour. If the dough mixture is too crumbly (usually with food-processed almonds), add a tbsp of cold water until your dough comes together. You want to roll the dough into a ball without it sticking to your hands.
Mould the cookies into 35g crescents or 40g round balls with a thumbprint in the middle. Place moulded cookies on a parchment/silicon-mat covered cookie tray about 1.5″ apart and bake at 375℉ for 12-20 minutes until set and edges just start to brown.
Let cookies cool on the baking tray, and then, in a bowl with a generous amount of icing sugar, dredge each cookie in the icing sugar. Using a fine mesh strainer add more icing sugar if desired.
You can make these ahead of time and store the “naked” kourabiedes in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve or give away, and then you can add the icing sugar.
And if your schedule is super busy, you’re not a baker, or you just want to spend more time with family and friends this Holiday Season, we got you! Click here to preorder some Serano Bakery kourabiedes and any other goodies you may need this Christmas. Live out of town and want to order some of our cookies and other goodies to be delivered to you or even shipped to your family and friends; we got you covered here too! Click here to order your Serano Bakery kourabiedes.
Ingredients
• 450g sifted all-purpose flour
• 140g butter (just at room temperature)
• 150g shortening (at room temperature)
• 140g icing sugar + more for sprinkling
• 1tbsp fine semolina
• 1tbsp baking powder
• 1/2tsp ground cloves
• 1 tbsp cognac
• 1 large pinch vanilla crystals/vanilla powder or 1tsp vanilla extract
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 100g of chopped almonds
• 1to 2 tbsp water (if needed)
• 1tsp almond extract (optional)
Note: This recipe and not the recipe for kourabiedes we use here at the bakery; however it is very similar.
Things You’ll Need
• Measuring scale
• Stand/Hand Mixer
• Sifter
• Spatula
• 3 Baking trays
• Parchment paper or silicon baking mats
• Measuring spoons
• Zester
Instructions
1. Chop Almonds.
2. Sift Flour.
3. With a high speed mixer beat butter and shortening on high for 4 minutes.
4. Add icing sugar, semolina, baking soda, vanilla, cloves, brandy, lemon zest, almond extract (optional) and beat for an additional 4 min.
5. Beat in flour on low 1/3 at a time.
6. Add almonds and beat on high for 5 minutes.
7. Mould a 35g crescent or 40g ball with thumb imprint and place on a baking sheet approximately 1.5” apart and bake at 375℉ for 12-20 minutes until edges begin to brown.
8. Let cookies cool on cookie tray
9. Once cookies are cool dredge in a bowl of icing sugar. Sprinkle with more icing sugar if desired.
Tips:
1. Make sure you cool the shortening and bring the butter to a temperature where you can leave an imprint of your finger. If the dough mixture is too sticky, add some more sifted flour.
2. If the dough is too crumbly, add cold water and continue to bead and well incorporated.
3. Store in an airtight container.
Before adding the icing sugar, you can make your kourabiedes and store them in an airtight container. You can enjoy these without icing sugar and dip them in melted chocolate! They can even be frozen (without icing sugar).
Enjoy!