Greek Cookies With Confectioners' Sugar (Kourabiedes)

diamonds4heather's Note:

These cookies were served at every church function and holiday meal as I was growing up. They are really lovely with a nice cup of tea. This is taken from one of my mother's favorite Greek cookbooks, "The Complete Book of Greek Cooking, The Recipe Club of St. Pauls Greek Cathedral".

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 75 cookies

• 1 lb whipped butter (softened)
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons brandy or 2 tablespoons whiskey
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• confectioners' sugar (for dusting)
• 1 cup almonds, finely chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Whip butter until white.
3. Slowly add sugar, vanilla, and brandy.
4. Gradually add flour, 1 cup at a time.
5. Shape cookies by rolling into balls (about the size of a meatball), then gently press your thumb into the top of the cookie and twist slightly.
6. This will help flatten the cookie just a bit.
7. Place cookies on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until the cookies are sand colored.
8. Sift confectioner's sugar onto a large sheet of wax paper.
9. Upon removing cookies from oven, carefully place on sugar and sift additional sugar to cover the tops and sides of cookies.

Reviews

[Dana-MMH]

Thanks Heather for posting this recipe, it brought back so many memories from when my Ya Ya use to make these. I did add a tad bit of cloves and used cognac instead. They turned out just delicious and as good as Ya Ya use to make.