Greek Christmas Cookies (Kourambiedes)
Indulge in the melt-in-your-mouth magic of Kourambiedes, traditional Greek Christmas cookies that fill your home with buttery, festive aromas and spark holiday joy. Whip up these easy, crowd-pleasing treats to share with loved ones.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Yield: Approximately 3 1/2 dozen cookies
- Nutritional Information (per cookie, based on 42 servings): Calories: 96, Total Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Carbohydrates: 8 g, Dietary Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g, Protein: 1 g, Cholesterol: 21 mg, Sodium: 24 mg
- Total Time: 1 hr 20 min
- Preparation: 20 min
- Chilling: 45 min
- Cooking: 15 min
Ingredients
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- About 45 whole cloves
Directions
- Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the softened butter and salt until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Beat in the powdered sugar, egg yolk, brandy, and vanilla until smooth. On low speed, gradually mix in the sifted flour. Scrape the dough onto waxed or parchment paper and chill for 45 minutes to make shaping effortless.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Pinch off small dough pieces and roll into 1-inch balls. Place on a greased baking sheet, spaced apart, and press a clove into each center. For variety, shape into half-moons with a clove in the middle. Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes.
- Cool completely, then roll generously in powdered sugar for that signature snowy finish. Watch them disappear as guests rave about your homemade Greek delight!
