These melt-in-your-mouth Greek Kourabiedes are the quintessential Christmas butter cookies that grace every Greek household during the holidays.
Ready in just 30 minutes, these powdery, almond-infused treats strike the perfect balance between buttery richness and delicate sweetness.
With only 196 calories per cookie, they’re a lighter take on traditional holiday indulgence.
Whether you’re celebrating Greek-style or simply craving an elegant cookie that pairs beautifully with coffee, these homemade Kourabiedes deliver pure bliss in every bite.
Ingredients for Greek Christmas Butter Cookies
- Butter: 250g cold unsalted cow’s milk butter (Lurpak recommended for best results)
- Almonds: 150g roasted chopped/slivered + 50g raw for grinding
- Icing Sugar: 75g for dough + extra for coating
- Flavorings: 1 tbsp rose water, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Dry Ingredients: 400g all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, pinch of salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep Almonds: Roast chopped almonds at 200C for 7-8 minutes with a water sprinkle until golden. Cool completely.
- Create Almond Powder: Blend raw almonds until finely ground.
- Mix Base: Process cold butter and sugar for 10 seconds until smooth. Add ground almonds, salt, rose water, and vanilla.
- Form Dough: Mix in baking powder and flour briefly. Hand-fold in cooled roasted almonds.
- Shape Cookies: Roll tablespoon portions into balls, create dimples in center. Chill 5 minutes between batches.
- Bake to Perfection: At 170C for 15-20 minutes until barely golden. Let cool completely.
- Final Touch: Spritz with rose water and dust generously with icing sugar.
Storage Tips
These sweet Greek cookies stay fresh and tasty for up to 3 weeks when stored right! Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Add a piece of wax paper between layers to protect that lovely powdered sugar coating. Want them to last even longer?
Pop them in the freezer for up to 2 months – just bring them to room temperature before eating.
The powdered sugar might need a quick touch-up after freezing – simply dust them again before serving!
Serving Suggestions
These lovely Greek butter cookies are perfect with a hot cup of coffee or tea! They’re traditionally served during Christmas, but they’re wonderful year-round.
For a festive holiday spread, place them on a pretty platter with other cookies, or wrap them in clear cellophane bags tied with ribbon for a beautiful homemade gift.
Want to make them extra special? Serve them alongside Greek coffee or hot chocolate for the perfect sweet treat!
Variations
While this classic recipe uses almonds, you can try different nuts! Pistachios work beautifully and add a lovely green color.
Some bakers skip the rosewater and use orange blossom water instead, or stick with just vanilla extract.
If you’re not a fan of powdered sugar coating, try rolling them in finely ground nuts instead. Just remember – the butter should always be cold, no matter which variation you choose!
Pro Tips
The magic of these cookies lies in keeping everything cool! Work with cold butter, and don’t overwork the dough with warm hands.
If your kitchen is warm, pop the dough in the fridge between batches. When spraying with rosewater, use a light touch – a little goes a long way.
And patience is key when it comes to cooling – these delicate cookies need their rest time to hold together perfectly!
Easiest Homemade Kourabiedes (Christmas Greek Butter Cookies)
Equipment
- Food processor
- baking trays
- Parchment Paper
- Blender
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 250 g butter made from cows milk, cold (Lurpak unsalted) (9 ounces, 1.1 cups)
- 150 g almonds, roughly chopped or almond slivers, roasted (6 ounces, 1 1/4 cups)
- 50 g almonds (whole) or almond slivers, raw (1.8 ounces, 1/4 cups)
- 75 g icing sugar (2.7 ounces, 1/2 cups)
- 1 tbsp rose water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 400 g all-purpose flour (14.2 ounces, 3 1/5 cups)
- icing sugar for powdering lots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C / 390F. To prepare this kourabiedes (kourambiethes) recipe start by roasting the almonds. Place the roughly chopped almonds (150g/ 6 ounces) or almond silvers on a baking tray and sprinkle with some water. Bake them for 7-8 minutes, until roasted, being careful not to burn them. Set aside or put in the fridge to cool.
- In a blender, add the raw almonds (50g/ 1.8 ounces) or the pistachios and blend, until powdered. Set aside.
- In a food processor, add the cold butter and sugar; mix for about 10 seconds, until the butter ‘breaks’ and is completely dissolved. Add the powdered almonds, a pinch of salt, the rosewater and the vanilla extract; mix for 10-20 seconds, until combined. At the end, add the baking powder and flour and mix again for 10-15 seconds.
- Place the mixture in a large bowl and add the roasted almonds; blend lightly with your hands. For the kourabiedes to remain fluffy, it is important that the butter doesn’t warm up and melt. So wait for a while for the roasted almonds to cool, before adding them to the butter mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 170C / 340F. Layer the bottom of 2 baking trays with parchment paper and form the kourabiedes.
- Roll 1 tbsp (about 30g) of the dough into a ball, place on the baking tray and push with your finger in the middle, to form a little dimple. Continue with the rest of the dough. Place in the fridge for 5 minutes until you prepare your next tray.
- Place the baking trays with the kourabiedes in second and fourth rack of the oven. Bake for approx. 15-20 minutes, until they have a very faint golden tint and are cooked through. Be careful not to overbake them.
- Leave the kourabiedes aside to cool down for a while. If you try to lift them, while still warm, they will break!
- Spray the kourabiedes with rosewater and sift with icing sugar. Enjoy!