Do you ever just crave a buttery almond cookie to go with your morning coffee? Or maybe flavours of orange, honey and walnut to end off the delicious meal you just had for dinner? Then these bad boys are the cookies your heart desires. Traditionally, these are made at Christmas time, but I’m seemingly becoming a more and more non-traditional gal and just doing what makes my heart happy – and these cookies make my heart happy… for a number of reasons!! First, they remind me of my yiayia and her sweet soul and second, they are just so frickin’ tasty! The kourabiedes are a buttery almond cookie doused in powdered sugar to give the look of a perfect cloud. They are heavy on the fats but sooooo worth it as they melt in your mouth – you can’t stop at just one! The melomakarona are an orange, honey walnut cookie that will refresh your taste buds and leaving you craving more and more and more and more and more (you get the hint…)
Right – Melomakarona ingredients
Bottom – Melomakarona
These cookies not only taste amazing, but they look beautiful too and are great for bringing to the next [socially distanced] gathering or gifting away to neighbours. This recipe makes over 2 dozen cookies (depending on how large you make the cookies) but trust me you will have NO problem finishing them off. Try them out and let me know what you think!
Right – Melomakarona
Cheers!
xx Vassilia
Greek Christmas ~ or whenever you want ~ Cookies
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesIngredients
- Kourabiedes
6 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups unsalted butter
1 cup Crisco
3 tbls icing sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 tbls Arak (or ouzo)
1 ½ ground roasted almonds
- Melomakarona
- For the dough
6 cups flour
1 tbls baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 tblsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp clove
2 cups canola oil
1 cup Crisco
2 tbls honey
1 tbls orange rind
½ cup orange juice
3 tbls Grand Marnier
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups ground walnuts
- For the syrup
1 tbls honey
1 ¼ cup maple syrup
1 cup water
Directions
- Kourabiedes
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Sift four cups of flour and the 2 tsp of baking powder twice. Set aside.
- Sift the remaining 2 cups of flour twice. Set aside.
- Take some of the flour and baking powder mixture and toss with the ground almonds to ensure they do not stick. Set aside.
- In a mixer, combine the butter, Crisco and icing sugar and blend until the mixture is a soft white. About 7-10 minutes.
- Add the 2 egg yolks and blend to mix.
- Add the vanilla and arak. Blend to mix.
- Slowly add in the flour and baking powder mixture. Blend to mix.
- With a spoon, mix in the ground almonds.
- 10. Add one more cup of flour and mix.
- 11. The texture should be soft and buttery but not stick to your hand. If the batter sticks to your hand, add in the remaining cup of flour.
- 12. Shape the dough into balls and press gently into the centre. Bake for 20-25 min until lightly brown on bottom.
- 13. Cool completely, and then dredge and dust in sifted powdered sugar.
- 14. Store in an air-tight container for up to 7 days (although they won’t last that long, because you will eat them all).
- Melomakarona
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Sift 4 cups of flour and all the other dry ingredients together twice and set aside.
- Sift remaining 2 cups of flour twice and set aside.
- In a mixer, combine canola oil, Crisco, and honey until the mixture is a creamy yellow-white colour, about 6-10 minutes.
- Add in orange rind and mix to blend.
- Add in orange juice and Grand Marnier and mix to blend.
- Add eggs and mix to blend.
- Slowly add in the 4 cups of flour + spice mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix well.
- By hand, add the remaining 2 cups of flour. The dough should feel oily but not stick to your hands.
- 10. Shape the dough into thick logs, and using a fork, make a checkered pattern. Bake for 20-25 min until lightly brown.
- 11. Cool slightly and then dunk into cooled syrup. Place on wired rack to let remaining syrup drip off and sprinkle with crushed walnuts. Cool completely before eating.
- For the syrup
- Combine all ingredients into a sauce pan and heat to combine. Set aside on low heat.
Yummmyyyyyyyyyy
These look delicious!!!!!!