These melt-in-your-mouth Greek Kourampiedes (also known as Kourabiethes) are delicate butter cookies infused with aromatic ouzo.
Perfect for special occasions, these powdered sugar-coated treats offer a delightful balance of sweetness and subtle anise flavor.
Each cookie delivers just 142 calories of pure bliss, making them an irresistible addition to your holiday cookie platter or afternoon tea service.
Ingredients for Greek Kourampiedes
- Butter: 250g cow milk butter at room temperature – essential for achieving the perfect creamy texture
- Sweetener: 100g icing sugar (plus 300g extra for coating)
- Almonds: 100g whole or chopped with peel – adds delightful crunch
- Flavorings: 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp ouzo, 1 tbsp rose water – creates authentic Greek taste
- Dry Ingredients: 450-500g sifted all-purpose flour, 6g baking powder
Step-by-Step Baking Instructions
- Almond Preparation: Toast almonds at 200C for 7-8 minutes with a light water sprinkle until fragrant
- Butter Mixture: Cream butter and 100g icing sugar for 20 minutes until wonderfully fluffy
- Flavor Infusion: Blend in vanilla, rose water, ouzo, and toasted almonds
- Dough Formation: Gradually incorporate sifted flour mixture until achieving soft, workable dough
- Cookie Shaping: Roll tablespoon-sized balls and create dimples in center
- Baking Magic: Bake at 180C for 20 minutes until barely golden
- Sweet Finish: Once cooled, generously coat in icing sugar and arrange on platters
Special Baking Tips
The magic of these Greek cookies happens in the details! Room temperature butter is your best friend here – it whips up beautifully with the sugar to create that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
When you’re baking the almonds, keep a close eye on them around the 6-minute mark – they can go from perfectly toasted to too dark very quickly.
And here’s a sweet little secret: that dimple you make with your finger? It helps the powdered sugar stick better and creates a lovely texture contrast.
Storage Tips
These lovely Greek cookies get even better with time! Store your kourampiedes in an airtight container at room temperature, with layers of parchment paper between them to keep that gorgeous powdered sugar coating intact.
They’ll stay fresh and delicious for up to 3 weeks – though they rarely last that long! The butter and almonds actually develop deeper flavors after a few days, making these cookies perfect for making ahead for special occasions.
Serving Suggestions
In Greece, these snowy-white cookies are a must-have at Christmas and special celebrations.
Serve them on a pretty platter alongside strong Greek coffee or hot tea – the contrast between the sweet cookies and bitter coffee is amazing!
For extra flair, place them in paper cupcake liners – it makes them easier to pick up and keeps the powdered sugar mess to a minimum. They’re also lovely as part of a cookie platter with other Greek sweets.
Common Substitutions
No ouzo? No problem! You can use any clear anise-flavored spirit like sambuca or arak. If you prefer alcohol-free cookies, replace the ouzo with orange blossom water or extra rose water.
While cow’s milk butter gives the best results, you can try using sheep’s milk butter for an even more authentic Greek taste. Just skip margarine – real butter is key for that melt-in-your-mouth texture these cookies are famous for.
Kourampiedes / Kourabiethes with Ouzo
Equipment
- electric mixer
- baking trays
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 250 g cow milk butter at room temperature
- 100 g icing sugar
- 100 g almonds whole or roughly chopped, with the peel
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp ouzo Greek drink
- 1 tbsp rose water
- 450-500 g all-purpose flour sifted
- 6 g baking powder
- 300 g icing sugar for powdering
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 200C / 390F. Place the almonds whole or roughly chopped (depending on whether you prefer the cookies to have whole or chopped almonds inside) on a baking tray and sprinkle with some water. Bake them for 7-8 minutes, being careful not to burn them.
- Use an electric mixer, to mix the butter and the icing sugar (100g/3.5 ounces), for about 20 minutes, until the butter is creamy and fluffy, like whipped cream. (It is very important that the butter is at room temperature.) Add the vanilla extract, the rose water and the ouzo and blend; add the baked almonds and blend again.
- In another bowl, blend the sifted flour and the baking powder. (It is very important to sift the flour, so that the cookies will become light and smooth.) Gradually add the flour into the butter mixture (from step 2) and work the mixture with your hands, until the ingredients are combined and the dough is soft and easy to work. You will need 450-500g of flour, depending on the flour.
- Preheat the oven to 200C; layer the bottom of 2 baking trays with parchment paper and form the kourampiedes. Roll 1-2 tbsps 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 the baking trays with the kourampiedes in second and fourth grill of the oven and turn the heat down to 180C. Bake for approx. 20 minutes, until they have a very faint golden tint and are cooked through. Be careful not to overcook them. Leave them aside to cool down for a while. If you try to lift them, while still warm, they will break.
- In a large bowl, add 500g/18 ounces of icing sugar and dip the kourampiedes (in batches) in the sugar, rolling them around, so that the sugar sticks on all sides. Place on one or two large platters. When done, sift the extra 500g/18 ounces icing sugar over the kourampiedes.