12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Kourambiedes, traditional Greek almond cookies to try this holiday season
It's day four of the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies on "Good Morning America" and chef Maria Loi has shared a simple shortbread-style treat that's synonymous with the holidays.
Loi joined George Stephanopoulos and his wife, actress and comedian Ali Wentworth, on Wednesday to bake up a batch of her subtly spiced, nutty cookies.
Kourambiedes: Traditional Greek Holiday Almond Cookies
Makes: Approximately 50 cookies
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups blanched almonds
1 1/2 cups olive oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons organic honey
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
4 cups all-purpose flour
Powdered sugar, as needed, for dusting
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Place almonds on a parchment paper-lined sheet tray, and roast for approximately 10 minutes, or until the almonds are toasted (a sandy-pinkish color), turning halfway through -- keep a watchful eye to make sure the almonds don't burn.
Remove from oven, allow almonds to cool, place in the bowl of a food processor, and grind until coarsely chopped.
Add the olive oil, water, and granulated sugar to the bowl of stand mixer, and beat on medium-high with whisk attachment until the sugar has completely dissolved and the ingredients have fully combined into a creamy mixture. Add the brandy, cinnamon, and honey, and mix to fully combine.
Measure out 1 cup of flour, add the baking powder to this cup, stirring to fully combine; sift flour and baking powder mixture and slowly add to the bowl of the mixer. Mix on low-medium setting.
Measure out 2 cups of flour, sifted, and continue adding to the bowl of the mixer, to allow dough to form. Add the almonds to the mixer, then sift the final cup of flour and slowly add to the bowl (you may not need all of it).
The dough should be firm, but supple -- it should stick together when pressed, but have a crumbly texture to it. Allow dough to rest for at least 15 minutes before forming cookies. If time allows, rest dough for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before forming cookies.
Using a tablespoon, portion out the dough onto a parchment paper line sheet tray, and shape into rounds or crescents, leaving space between.
Bake at 350 F for 10 to 15 minutes, until lightly golden. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle lightly with confectioners' sugar and allow to absorb.
Once cookies are cool, sift confectioners' sugar over them until fully coated.
Store in airtight container lined with parchment paper, and enjoy!
