Kourabiedes

Shortbread cookies are a great treat. While I love a nice chewy chocolate chip cookie, sometimes a crunchy shortbread hits the spot. Kourabiedes, also called a Greek wedding cookies, are a Greek shortbread cookie and one of my favorites at the Greekfest. They are all shortbread and have a nice almond flavor. Kourabiedes and the Puerto Rican style Mantecaditos are similar in texture.

While some versions of the recipe are made with a flour base and a hint of vanilla extract, others use almond meal. I decided to go with both, and started by grinding up some almonds in the magic bullet.

I made the dough base by beating the sugar and butter together until the mixture was creamy. Then, I mixed in the vanilla and almond extracts.  In a separate bowl, I combined the ground almonds, flour, and a little bit of fresh ground nutmeg.

I scooped the batter on to a parchment lined tray for baking. I didn't leave much space inbetween as shortbread cookies don't spread out quite like other cookies, as they don't have baking powder to cause them to rise.

While they were still warm, I sprinkled powdered sugar over the top.

Perfect! These were an ideal match for the versions I've had so many times in the past. I'm an almond lover, and the ground almonds mixed with the extract solidified that taste. This cookie is a great snack and holds up well.

Kourabiedes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup finely ground almonds

2 1/4 cups flour

1 cup butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

Combine flour, ground almonds, and nutmeg in a smal bowl. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars until smooth. Mix in vanilla and almond extracts. Stir in the almond and flour mixture until combined. Spoon into a parchment lined baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while still warm.