Gluten-Free Easter Cookies, Kourabiedes – the perfect Easter edible gift
These Greek Easter cookies, Kourabiedes, are also known as Greek wedding cookies, remind me of Christmas cookies as they are packed with the warming taste of cloves.
The texture is similar to a soft shortbread with almond, vanilla and clove notes. This is a `’grown-up’ cookie that goes perfectly with a small glass of your favourite liqueur.
If you want to take a break from Easter chocolates and hot cross buns, follow this very easy recipe that shouldn’t take you longer than one hour to prepare and bake.
As they keep for two weeks in an airtight container, these cookies are excellent to give out as Easter gifts. If you plan to serve or gift the cookies to children, I advise leaving out the whole cloves.
How to eat Kourabiedes
These cookies are ideally served with a hot beverage or/and a shot of liqueur, brandy or ouzo. Remember to remove the whole clove from the cookie before eating them!
Gluten-Free Greek Easter Cookies (Kourabiedes)
Ingredients
KOURABIEDES COOKIE DOUGH
- 125 g butter, softened at room temperature
- 35 g caster sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp brandy or ouzo (optional)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 80 g almond meal
- 60 g store-bought or homemade gluten-free plain flour
- ½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
- ½ tsp xanthan gum
- ½ tsp ground cloves
DECORATIONS
- 3-4 tbsp icing sugar, sieved
- 24 whole cloves (optional), remove before eating
Instructions
Making the Kourabiedes dough
- Gather and measure the Kourabiedes ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, mix all the flours, baking powder, xanthan gum and ground cloves together.
- In another bowl, cream the butter with the sugar, until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg yolk, brandy or ouzo and vanilla extract.
- Fold the flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture gradually until the mixture comes together. Add more flour if it feels too sticky.
- Roll half the mixture into small balls approximately 3cm in diameter. Place a whole clove in the centre of the ball and place them on a lined baking paper tray.
- Roll the remaining dough into small logs no longer than 9cm. Shape them into crescents and place them on the baking tray. Insert a whole clove in the middle of each crescent.
- Chill the cookies for 30 minutes.
Baking the Kourabiedes cookies
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes on the middle shelf, one tray at a time. They should appear a very pale brown. Be careful not to over-bake the cookies as they will become too crumbly and dry.
- Dredge the cookies with the sieved icing sugar and allow them to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before moving the cookies to wire mesh to cool down completely. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Keeps for two weeks in an airtight container at room temperature
- Unsuitable to freeze
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