Kourabiedes (Greek shortbread cookies)

Kourabiedes [kou-rah-bi-eh-thes], also known as Greek shortbread cookies, are delicious melt in your mouth butter cookies, lightly spiced with cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and brushed with rose water before being dusted with icing sugar (usually quite generously).

While still stay true to tradition in terms of flavour, the recipe is very flexible for those with dairy or nut allergies.

  • Use light or white spelt flour instead of all purpose or cake flour for better digestibility.

  • Butter can be replaced with a good quality plant based spread like Nuttelex or Flora.

  • Nuts have been omitted in this recipe but you can add 1/4 cup chopped and lightly roasted almonds, or walnuts.

  • Reduce the sugar content in the cookie recipe by replacing white sugar with coconut sugar. You don’t need a lot of sugar in the cookie dough as there is enough icing sugar dusted over the top for the “snow’ effect.


If you’d like these cookies to last longer, store in an airtight container and out of sight, or they will be devoured very quickly. I highly recommend doubling the recipe!

KOURABIEDES

Makes about 25 cookies

400g light spelt flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

5 tablespoons coconut sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

250g butter or plant based spread, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Rose water, for topping

Icing sugar, for dusting

  1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C / 320 degrees F, and line two baking trays with baking paper.

  2. Place the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Make a well in the center, pour in melted butter and vanilla extract. Mix into a pliable dough, if it’s too sticky, add extra flour. You should be able to shape the dough without it sticking to your hands.

  3. Shape into oval or moon shapes and place onto the prepared baking trays. Bake for about 40 -50 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and while still warm, generously brush the top of each cookie with rosewater. Allow to cool completely in the trays, before sifting icing sugar on top of each cookie.

Baking & dessertsIrini Savva