Indulge in the delectable symphony of flavors and textures presented by Greek almond shortbread cookies, a timeless classic that has captivated taste buds for generations. These melt-in-your-mouth cookies, also known as kourabiedes, are a staple in Greek households, a cherished symbol of hospitality and celebration.
With their delicate crumb and rich, buttery flavor, these cookies are a symphony of simplicity and elegance. Ground almonds lend a subtle nutty sweetness, while the hint of orange zest adds a refreshing citrus note. Generously coated in powdered sugar, they exude an ethereal beauty that is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.
The journey to crafting these delectable treats begins with the creaming together of butter and sugar until light and fluffy, creating a foundation for the harmonious blend of flavors. Eggs are then incorporated, adding richness and structure, followed by the majestic union of ground almonds, flour, and baking powder. The dough, a symphony of textures, is then meticulously shaped into crescents, each one a testament to the baker's artistry.
Once nestled in the warmth of the oven, the cookies undergo a transformation, emerging with golden edges and a tantalizing aroma that fills the air. A final embrace of powdered sugar awaits them, a sweet embrace that enhances their allure and invites indulgence.
In this comprehensive guide, you'll embark on a culinary adventure, exploring variations of this classic recipe. From the traditional almond-studded delight to the seductive allure of chocolate-dipped cookies, each recipe offers a unique twist on this beloved treat. Discover the magic of pistachio-infused shortbread, where the verdant hue and nutty flavor add an unexpected layer of intrigue. Embark on a journey to create gluten-free variations, ensuring that everyone can partake in this delightful tradition.
Prepare to captivate your senses and tantalize your taste buds as you delve into the realm of Greek almond shortbread cookies. Let these recipes be your guide as you embark on a culinary odyssey, creating delectable masterpieces that will leave an indelible mark on your memory.
GREEK ALMOND COOKIES (AMYGDALOTA)
Greek Almond Cookies (Amygdalota) are crunchy, chewy classic Greek cookies made with only 5 ingredients, and they're naturally gluten-free!
Provided by Marcie
Categories Cookies
Time 25m
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Set the oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line (2) baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the almond flour, sugar, orange zest and salt in a large bowl until combined. Stir in the beaten egg whites until the dough is wet and paste-like.
- Using a 1 1/2" cookie scoop, scoop the dough into tablespoon size balls and roll in the sliced almonds (this is easier to do if you break up some of the almonds into small pieces with your fingers). Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets and flatten them a bit as they won't spread.
- Bake both trays in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, rotating the pans from top to bottom halfway through baking, for 13-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown and set.
- Remove from heat and cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire racks. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 cookie, Calories 130 kcal, Carbohydrate 9 g, Protein 4 g, Fat 9 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Sodium 25 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 6 g
KOURABIETHES: GREEK SHORTBREAD COOKIES WITH ALMONDS
Steps:
- Gather the ingredients.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer , add the butter and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add egg yolks and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Mix well. Add the ouzo, vanilla, and the toasted chopped almonds.
- In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together. With the mixer on low, add the flour to the butter mixture and mix until incorporated. You don't want to over mix the dough because that will toughen the cookies. Chill the dough for about half an hour to make it easier to handle and roll.
- Heat the oven to 350 F. Have ungreased baking sheets at the ready.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Take a piece of dough about the size of a walnut, roll it into a ball, and place on the cookie sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Alternatively, roll the walnut-sized piece of dough into a log and then curl the ends in and pinch slightly to make a half-moon or crescent shape.
- Stud each cookie in the center with an optional whole clove and bake for 20 minutes or until just beginning to brown.
- When the cookies are still very warm, dredge in confectioners' sugar. (Handle them with care because they are fragile.) The sugar layer will almost melt and coat the cookies. After the cookies cool a bit, add another dusting of confectioners' sugar.
- After the cookies cool a bit, add another dusting of confectioners' sugar. Store in a covered container with a light dusting for confectioners' sugar for up to one month.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 146 kcal, Carbohydrate 11 g, Cholesterol 38 mg, Fiber 0 g, Protein 2 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Sodium 36 mg, Sugar 2 g, Fat 11 g, ServingSize 40 cookies (40 servings), UnsaturatedFat 0 g
ALMOND SHORTBREAD I
Melt-in-your-mouth shortbread.
Provided by Robin J.
Categories Desserts Nut Dessert Recipes Almond Dessert Recipes
Time 2h40m
Yield 18
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- In a large bowl, beat butter with 1/2 cup sugar and almond extract until light and fluffy. With a wooden spoon, stir in flour until smooth and well combined. Divide dough into 2 parts. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
- On lightly sugared surface, roll out dough, one part at a time, about 1/2-inch thick. Cut out cookies with a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Make an indentation in the center of each cookie with the end of a wooden spoon.
- Bake in preheated oven until cookies are light golden brown around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. While still warm, roll in sugar. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an air-tight container.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 190.8 calories, Carbohydrate 22.5 g, Cholesterol 27.1 mg, Fat 10.4 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 1.9 g, SaturatedFat 6.5 g, Sodium 73 mg, Sugar 9.3 g
ALMOND SHORTBREAD COOKIES
Serve these cookies with a cold glass of milk or crumbled over chocolate or vanilla ice cream.
Provided by Food Network
Categories dessert
Time 1h25m
Yield 30 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the beaten egg and extract. Add the flour, ground almonds and lemon zest and mix until the dough comes together.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead into a ball. Divide the dough in half and then roll each half into a log, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour (the dough can be frozen at this point for a later use).
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the plastic wrap and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets and bake until golden brown at the edges, about 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for 3 or 4 minutes before transferring to wire cooling racks to cool completely, or just eat warm from the oven.
KOURAMBIETHES (GREEK ALMOND SHORTBREADS)
I haven't made this recipe yet. It is posted for the Zaar World Tour 2006. The cookbook I found this recipe in says that Kourambiethes are a Christmas specialty in Greece. Prep time includes 1 hour refrigeration time.
Provided by Kim127
Categories Dessert
Time 1h45m
Yield 22 shortbreads
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Gently melt the butter over low heat in a small heavy-based saucepan; without stirring or shaking the pan. Carefully pour the clear butter into another container, leaving the white sediment in the pan to be discarded. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 325 and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Grind the slivered almonds to a medium fine meal.
- In a bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the chilled butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the icing sugar and combine well. Add the egg yolk, vanilla, and ouzo and beat until just combined. Fold in the flour, ground almonds and the almond meal.
- Shape heaped tablespoons of mixture into crescents, place on the baking trays and bake for 12 minutes, or until lightly colored.
- Remove from the oven and dust liberally with icing sugar. Leave to cool on the trays for 10 minutes.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and dust the paper with icing sugar. Lift the warm biscuits onto this and dust again with the icicng sugar. When the biscuits are cool, dust them once again with the icing sugar before storing them in an airtight container.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 176.8, Fat 11.4, SaturatedFat 5.6, Cholesterol 29.7, Sodium 18.4, Carbohydrate 16.8, Fiber 1, Sugar 7, Protein 2.6
GREEK ALMOND SHORTBREAD (KOURABIE)
Mary, a friends Greek neighbour, took the time to show us this recipe. It is a family recipe from her area of Greece. The actual dough has very little sugar as they are dusted heavily in icing sugar once cooked. These are very crunchy and has peices of almonds through out them. The shape is entirely upto the cook, just make sure they are not too large as they will burn on the outside and not cooked on the inside. The dough for each biscuit (cookie) should be the size of a large cherry.
Provided by cookingpompom
Categories Dessert
Time 40m
Yield 50-60 biscuits/cookies
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat your oven to 180oc (375 oF).
- In a large bowl beat the butter, oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla until thick and glossy. It will take about 5 - 7 minutes.
- Add in the flour and almonds. Start with a large wooden spoon and progress to clean hands until all is well mixed. The mixture will be quite dry.
- Roll peices of dough the size of a large cherry and flatten, or roll into a sausage and flatten slightly - or what ever suits your fancy.
- Place onto a lined tray, repeat until all the mixture is used (you should get 50 - 60 biscuits).
- Bake in preheated oven for 20 - 30 minutes depending on how you roll and flatten your biscuits. They should be nicely golden all over.
- Once out of the oven, liberally sift extra icing sugar over hot biscuit and leave to cool.
- Store in an air tight container with plenty of icing sugar.
- They will keep for up to 2 weeks in a dry and dark area.
GREEK ALMOND SHORTBREAD CIRCLES
Rose water, a distillation made from rose petals, blesses these cookies with a distinctive fragrant, floral flavor.
Provided by Annacia
Categories Dessert
Time 57m
Yield 84 cookies
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
- Add the 1 cup powdered sugar.
- Beat until mixture is fluffy and light in color, scraping side of bowl occasionally.
- Beat in egg yolks, brandy, and vanilla until combined.
- Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour and almonds until well mixed.
- Cover and chill about 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
- Dip the bottom of a glass in additional powdered sugar and flatten each ball to 1/4-inch thickness.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until set.
- Transfer cookies to a wire rack.
- While warm, lightly brush the cookies with rose water (if desired) and sprinkle with additional powdered sugar.
- Cool completely on wire rack.
- Makes about 84 cookies.
- TO STORE:
- Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 67.8, Fat 4.3, SaturatedFat 2.2, Cholesterol 13.2, Sodium 24.1, Carbohydrate 6.2, Fiber 0.3, Sugar 1.5, Protein 0.9
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients, the better the cookies will taste. Use real butter, not margarine, and choose a good quality almond flour.
- Chill the dough before baking: This will help the cookies hold their shape and prevent them from spreading too much in the oven.
- Bake the cookies until they are just golden brown: Overbaking will make them dry and crumbly.
- Let the cookies cool completely before serving: This will allow the flavors to develop and the cookies to firm up.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature: They will keep for up to 3 days.
Conclusion:
These almond shortbread cookies are a delicious and easy-to-make treat that are perfect for any occasion. They are naturally gluten-free, so they are a good option for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. The cookies are also a good source of healthy fats and fiber. Enjoy them as a snack, dessert, or gift!
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