Our very best recipe for Kourampiedes (Kourabiethes) flavoured with ouzo! Traditionally made to celebrate Christmas, these sweet little butter cookies will definitely set you on a festive mood!
Kourampiedes (Kourabiethes) are infused with rose water and the aromas of butter and topped with luscious layers of icing sugar. Who can resist eating a few more than they should 🙂
How to make the perfect kourabiethes with ouzo
Remember that the butter should be at room temperature before starting the recipe.
Beat the butter and sugar with a mixer until fluffy and white like whipped cream. This could take almost from 10 to 20 minutes (high speed).
After beating the butter, make sure it warms up as little as possible. If the butter warms up it will lose its volume and the Kourabiethes won’t became fluffy.
So make sure your toasted nuts have cooled down completely before adding them to the mix. If they are still hot, they will make the butter in your Kourampiedes melt.
It’s also a good idea to use some plastic gloves when shaping the Kourabiethes so that the temperature of your hands doesn’t affect the texture of the mixture.
Remember to sift the flour, so that the cookies become fluffier.
If you like your Kourabiethes tasting stronger and fuller you could substitute the cows milk butter with sheep’s butter or combine the two.
Our best recipe for Kourampiedes (Kourabiethes)! Traditionally made to celebrate Christmas, these butter cookies will definitely set you on a festive mood!
Ingredients
Scale
250g cow milk butter, at room temperature (9 ounces)
100g icing sugar (3.5 ounces)
100g almonds, whole or roughly chopped, with the peel (3.5 ounces)
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.
Nutrition
Serving Size:1 cookie
Calories:142kcal
Sugar:8g
Sodium:1.2mg
Fat:5.4g
Saturated Fat:2.7g
Unsaturated Fat:2.7g
Trans Fat:0g
Carbohydrates:21.8g
Fiber:1.5g
Protein:2.6g
Cholesterol:10.8mg
Got a comment or suggestion? Drop us a note in the comments section below. And as always, don’t forget to share with your friends and family!
One note should be added to the instructions, and it’s kind of obvious but I overlooked it: Let the almonds cool completely after toasting. I melted my wonderful creamed butter :(.
My mother always made these and before baking them she would pin a
whole clove in the middle of each cookie. The clove stick would make the kitchen so much more fragrant! Make sure to remove the clove after taking out of the oven and before you pour the powdered sugar on them.
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(696 votes, average: 4.81 out of 5)
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Hello Eli, Thanks for the recipe. What is cow milk butter. I have never used or seen this ingredient.
It is okay. It is just butter. I got it.
Ze zijn verrukkelijk ♥️♥️. Ik bak ze eerste keer met dit resept. Het zijn de details !!!!!
what
hola
Thx sweedi in Africa we also get butter from other animals milk so it DOES help to know cows milk butter
One note should be added to the instructions, and it’s kind of obvious but I overlooked it: Let the almonds cool completely after toasting. I melted my wonderful creamed butter :(.
Hi Eli,
How long do these last? Is it best to sore in air tight container just on the bench or in the fridge??
I use a bit of ouzo in them
My mother always made these and before baking them she would pin a
whole clove in the middle of each cookie. The clove stick would make the kitchen so much more fragrant! Make sure to remove the clove after taking out of the oven and before you pour the powdered sugar on them.
No eggs???
Hi, I remember making these with my late mum. Please could I have the oven temperatures for an electric fan oven?