Traditional Greek cookies recipe (Kourabiedes) Me To Mati

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Yield

40 pieces

Prep Time

40 minutes

Cooking Time

15 minutes

Difficulty

Medium

Greek cookies are traditionally made during Christmas and are flavoured with rose water however our version uses Ouzo which we believe adds a noticeable taste attraction. Our version also includes walnuts which we find adds a texture element to these delights. These cookies melt in your mouth and are a perfect accompaniment with your coffee or tea.

The secret to these delights is to ensure you mix the butter and sugar (step 2 & 3) on high speed and to allow the mixing process to continue until the mixture resembles fluffy whipped cream texture. This normally takes up to 10 minutes.

Ingredients for kourambiedes

250 grams butter at room temperature
½ cup of sugar
¼ cup almond slices (ground)
¼ walnuts (ground)
2 tablespoons ouzo
1 tablespoon vanillin sugar (vanilla sugar)
½ orange (zest only)
1 cup all-purpose flour (sifted)
2 cups self-raising flour (sifted)
1 teaspoon baking powder
icing sugar

Instructions for kourambiedes

Pre-heat oven to 200°C and before baking, reduce oven to 180°C.
Add butter to your mixing bowl and set mixer to high speed, mixing for 5 minutes.
Set mixer to low speed and proceed to add sugar, setting mixer to high speed – mixing both the sugar and butter for 10 minutes (sugar needs to dissolve).
Add 1 tablespoon vanillin sugar (vanilla sugar), 2 tablespoons of Ouzo and allowing mixing process to continue for a further 5 minutes before adding almond and walnut mixture – continuing mixing process for a further 5 minutes.
Mixer set to low speed, adding the zest of half an orange and continue mixing process for further 5 minutes.
In a separate bowl, combine all flours including baking powder (sifting through) and then proceed to add half of the flour mixture into the cookie mixture, continuing the mixing process for a further 5 minutes.
End the machine mixing process and proceed to add small amounts of the flour mixture to the cookie mixture, mixing contents by hand.
The mixture is ready when the cookie mixture comes together, becoming firm (not hard).
Using a drinking glass cut out cookies, refer to our video link below for cutting technique demonstration, repeating this process.
Bake cookies for 15 minutes or until cookies have a faint golden tint, allowing cookies to cool down for 10 minutes before covering with icing sugar.