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These Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies) are a classic Greek cookie. Some call them wedding cookies, some call them Christmas cookies, I just call them delicious! They’re buttery, crumbly, sweet, but not too sweet, and the perfect holiday treat!
Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies)
Everyone has that “thing” they do around the holidays, right? Whether it’s making fudge, toffee, cookies, or candies to give to friends and family, generally everyone has something special they do around this time of year for loved ones. As a food blogger, and daughter of an avid cook, you won’t be surprised to find out that our family tradition is to give out an assortment of homemade cookies to our family and friends every year.
When I first stated making holiday cookies, we only made two different kinds and today’s Kourabiedes or Greek Butter Cookies happened to be one of them. While they aren’t overly fancy, they are DELICIOUS. They have a buttery taste similar to a shortbread cookie, but they’re slightly more crumbly. Our version has plenty of almond flavoring, a pinch of salt, and is coated in plenty of powdered sugar.
Ingredient List
- butter
- powdered sugar
- almond extract
- egg
- baking soda
- kosher salt
I’ve gotten some heat for putting an egg in our recipe, but that’s just how my Grandma did it, so that’s what I also do. I trust in the recipe. I do however, add more almond extract than her recipe called for because I adore the flavor of almond. I also add in a lot more salt, because I’m basically addicted to the salty/sweet combo.
How to make Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies)
- Beat butter in the bottom of a stand mixer on a medium-high speed for 20 minutes.
- Add egg and almond extract, mix until combined. Sift ½ cup powdered sugar, baking soda, flour and salt together in a large bowl. With the speed on low, add mixture a little bit at a time until completely incorporated. If the dough is too sticky, add a little bit more of flour.
- Roll about 2 tablespoons of dough into crescents and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silt pad. Bake for 15-20 minutes until very pale brown and cooked through.
- If serving cookies right away. Let them cool slightly and toss in powdered sugar. Serve within 24 hours. If you want to bake them and then serve later, store in an airtight container in the fridge (or we store them outside when it’s cold). When ready to serve, pop in a warm oven until warm, then roll in powdered sugar.
Can these be made ahead of time?
Yes! Since we give them out throughout the holidays, we actually let them cool completely and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. When I’m ready to give them away, I pop them in a 300 degree oven until they’re warm again, then coat them in powdered sugar and let them cool completely before packaging them up or serving. You can also freeze them in an airtight container for up to six months. Again, freeze them without powdered sugar and coat them just before serving.
Substitutions and Tips and Tricks to making perfect Kourabiedes
- Beat the butter for 20 minutes. Yes, 20 minutes!!! This makes the cookies tender, promise. You’ll know it’s ready when it turns from pale yellow to white.
- When you mix the flour in, mix as little as possible until it’s all combined. Do not overmix.
- Let the cookies cool slightly, and then roll them in powdered sugar. You want them to still be warm when rolling them in the sugar.
- If you love the flavor of almond, add more. If it’s not your thing, add less and a splash of vanilla.
- Only bake them until they are VERY pale brown on the bottom – not on the sides or top. They become too crumbly if you cook them too long.
Kourabiedes (Greek Butter Cookies)
Ingredients
- 1 lb unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp Almond extract
- 1/2 Cup powdered sugar, plus another cup for coating
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
Equipment
- stand mixer
- baking sheet
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter in the bottom of a stand mixer on a medium-high speed for 20 minutes. Add egg and almond extract, mix until combined.
- Sift ½ cup powdered sugar, baking soda, flour and salt together in a large bowl. With the speed on low, add mixture a little bit at a time until completely incorporated. If the dough is too sticky, add a little bit more of flour.
- To Form: Roll about 2 tablespoons of dough into crescents and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silt pad. There is no need to place cookies very far apart, as they do not spread much. Bake for 15-20 minutes until very pale brown and cooked through.
- If serving cookies right away. Let them cool slightly and toss in powdered sugar. Serve within 24 hours. If you want to bake them and then serve later, store in an airtight container in the fridge (or we store them outside when it’s cold). When ready to serve, pop in a warm oven until warm, then roll in powdered sugar. *These can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information
Athena says
I know this is an old thread, but I’d like to share a bit of my recipe. I use sifted cake flour instead of regular since it lightens the cookie. I skip the clove but grew up on these cookies with and without…depending on which relative’s house we went to. I also use sliced/crushed almonds, vanilla, and brandy or orange juice…whichever I have on hand. I also sift powdered sugar onto hot cookies and will add more once cooled – if necessary. I LOVE these cookies. 🙂
Maria says
We are Greek students at uni in UK and we are spending Christmas in UK this year. We tried this recipe and they smell like home, delicious but they spread so much that we ended up with one giant cookie! Apart from that it tastes amazing! 😛
Nicole says
That’s very strange Maria. We’ve made these hundred of times, and they shouldn’t spread at all. Did you add anything else?
Niki says
After shaping the cookies, you can either put them in the refrigerator or stick them in the freezer for s bit. It’ll help them build their shape.
Marie Gonis says
I, too, made these kourabiethes the other day. They smelled and tasted wonderful,
but they did get quite flat. What do you think I’m doing incorrectly and how can I get them to remain raised. Thank you in advance for your input. ~~~Marie~~~
Nicole says
Hmmm that’s so strange, maybe add more flour next time?
Niki says
Marie, after shaking the cookies in a cookie sheet, stick the cookie sheet in the freezer for a bit or in the refrigerator.
Julia Reece says
Hi Nicole
I have just made your biscuits and they are delicious
Julia
Melbourne, Australia
Phyllis M. says
I have a Greek friend will not share her Kourabiedes recipe with me. My whole family goes crazy over her cookies when she brings us some at Christmas….So now I’m trying to replicate her recipe because we just can’t get enough of them! I hope your recipe is as good as hers. I’ll let you know. Thanks!
Nicole says
I hope you love them!
Marina says
I made these for a cookie exchange because I lost my old kourabiethes recipe. They woke my Greek dad up from a dead sleep on the second floor it made the house so fragrant. Absolute HOMERUN! They came out right on the first try. I made them in a rounded mound shape just like my yiayia does. Delicious.
Nicole says
So glad you liked them!
XAN says
Why do my kourambethes taste salty did not add any salt——-have made them the same way for 60 years————I am 92———-
Nicole says
Xan, I’m not sure! So sorry!
Cheryl Noa says
Maybe she used Salted butter nstead of unsalted which i always buy
Denise says
Mayde too much baking soda. It can make some people think it is too much salt.
Nicole says
The baking soda is needed, and I promise it doesn’t taste like salt!
Denise says
I am saying that maybe this person put in more baking soda than the recipe called for, a common mistake and may make it taste salty to some).
Funny that I see you are still commenting but refuse to comment on request for when you add the powdered sugar to the cookies, lol!
Denise says
My apologies, I see you have now commented on the sugar portion!
Nicole says
Yes, Denise, I replied to your comment over a week ago. Hope that helped.
Donna says
I was surprised to see baking soda in the recipe. My grandmother didn’t use it.
Gugudikos Mavros says
!000 years old Tur Kurabiye ))) Grekk LMAO
Niki says
Calm down. It’s a cookie.
ELSA says
The word kourabies (plural kourabiedes) originates from qurabiya in Azerbaijani, qurabiyə in Arabic, kurabiye in Turkish and of course you will find this “cookie” under a similar name in many other countries as well. The word literally means dry (kuru) biscuit (biye).
ELSA says
The word kourabies (plural kourabiedes) originates from qurabiya in Azerbaijani, qurabiyə in Arabic, kurabiye in Turkish and of course you will find this “cookie” under a similar name in many other countries as well. The word literally means dry (kuru) biscuit (biye).
Dawn G. Mitchell says
I LOVE these cookies–I even had them at my wedding, even though there is no Greek blood in any of my family 😀
Marie says
I have loved these shortbread biscuits – I can only get them at my local coffee shop. When I found out what they were called I have doing some research to find the perfect recipe to make them. Thank you for posting such great pictures to,guide me can’t wait to make them. What is the go with egg or no egg? The ones I have do have almonds in them so, so I will probably make them with some fresh roasted crushed almonds.
What do u suggest tas the best storage and how long will they last lol.
Regards
Marie
Nicole says
I just keep them in airtight containers in a cool place. They last a few months in the freezer, and a few weeks in the fridge, a week, kept at room temperature. Hope that helps!