Christmas Around the World. Kourambiedes (Greek Butter Cookie) #ChristmasCookies

Welcome to Day 8 of my Christmas Around the World party.  I am baking and sharing cookies every day for 12 Days and each day I am bringing a Christmas Cookie from a different country.  I started out with Italy, headed northeast to Poland and then traveled to the Mediterranean to visit Lebanon.

I traveled back northwest to visit Germany, Denmark and my Grandmother's birthplace, Czech Republic.  Yesterday, I recouped here in the USA and presented you with a Classic American Sugar Cookie.  Today we are heading back to the Mediterranean and visiting Greece where we will enjoy a Greek Christmas Cookie called Kourambiedes.

I found this cookie on food.com submitted by evelyn/athens who states "These, with Melomakarona, are found in every Greek home during the Christmas Holidays".  They are a butter cookie that contain almonds and are flavored with rose water.  I think they might be found in this American home during the Christmas Holidays from now on.

Kourambiedes
adapted from Food.com

1 c. butter, room temperature
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
dash of salt
1/2 T. brandy
1/2 t. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. sliced almonds
rose water
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Cream the butter and sugar in large bowl of stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, for 15 minutes or until it begins to turn white.  Mix in the baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the egg yolk, brandy and vanilla.  Gradually add the flour until well combined and then stir in the almonds.

Using a cookie scoop, portion the dough into small rounds.  Place onto a parchment lined baking sheet and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.  Bake in a preheated 350* oven for 15-20 minutes. While cookies are baking place a small amount of rose water into a shallow bowl.  Immediately upon removing the cookies from the oven, dip your fingers into the rose water and shake them over the hot cookies.  Sprinkle the cookies, while still hot, with powdered sugar and let cool.   Print Recipe

Welcome to the 12 Days of Cookies, hosted by Family Around the Table and Cooking With Carlee. We are filling the season with all kinds of delicious cookies.  Be sure to check out some of the recipes below or you can follow along on Facebook or Twitter by searching #ChristmasCookies.  We also have a 12 Days of Cookies Pinterest board where you can see all of the goodness!  May your holidays be sweet!

Day 8 of 12 Days of #ChristmasCookies

• Almond Butter Cookies from Cindy's Recipes and Writings 
• Eggnog Hugs from Making the Most of Naptime
• Hungarian Poppyseed Pinwheel Cookies from Palatable Pastime
• Kourambiedes from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Melting Moments from Cooking With Carlee
• Muddy Snowballs from Family Around the Table
• Raspberry Coconut Cookies from Jolene's Recipe Journal