Kourabiedes Recipe (Greek Butter Cookies)
These vegan kourabiedes are soft, tender Greek butter cookies covered in a generous layer of powdered sugar and are the perfect traditional holiday treat. I make mine with oat flour, almonds, and either vegan butter or almond butter. They are ready in just 30 minutes, and always a part of my Christmas with my family.
Servings: 20
Calories: 72kcal
Ingredients
- 14 tablespoons oat flour , gluten-free if needed (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
- 2 tablespoons brown rice flour
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (see note)
- ¼ cup chopped slivered almonds
- ½ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon brandy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar , to sprinkle over the top at the end
Almond butter version:
- ½ cup oat flour , gluten-free if needed
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (see note)
- ¼ cup chopped slivered almonds
- ½ cup runny smooth almond butter (see note)
- 4 teaspoons milk , I used almond
- 1 teaspoon brandy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F/ 165 C
- Combine flour, sugar, and almonds in a bowl and whisk to mix.
- Add in the butter, brandy, vanilla and milk if using. Using a fork mash the mixture together until it becomes dough like. Use your hands to mix it well and form a ball of dough.
- Roll into balls about 1 inch in diameter.
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden at the edges. Mine took 18.
- Allow to cool a few minutes but not totally cold. Place them on a platter and sprinkle with the extra powdered sugar. If the cookies aren’t a tiny bit warm, the powdered sugar may not stick on the outside.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this Greek butter cookies recipe is to remove the cookies from the oven as soon as the edges begin to turn lightly golden. Kourabiedes should stay pale and tender, so baking them too long will make them dry instead of giving them their distinctive texture.
- Use runny almond butter: If I am making the healthier version, I prefer using a runnier almond butter, as thick or dry butter produces a crumbly dough. Be sure to stir well before measuring and add 1-2 teaspoons of milk if needed.
- Measure carefully: Scooping directly into the measuring cup can pack in too much flour, which makes the cookies dry. I spoon the flour into the measuring cups and level it off instead.
- Roll evenly: I aim for 1-inch-sized balls and use a cookie scoop if necessary. This way the cookies all bake at the same rate.
- Coat while warm: The residual warmth from the cookies helps the powdered sugar cling to the surface much better than if they were completely cool.
- Cool before stacking: After dusting, I wait until the cookies are completely cooled before stacking on my serving plate. This prevents the powdered sugar coating from becoming patchy or rubbing off.
Nutrition
Calories: 72kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg