Kourabiethes are traditional Greek almond shortbread biscuits. Synonymous with every Christmas and Easter celebration at our house growing up, I would inevitably end up dusted in a cloud of icing sugar as I ate through the snowy pile on my plate. My kids love creating faces on their kourabiethes by swiping through the icing sugar with their little fingers. They are such a playful biscuit.
My gluten free Greek kourabietha recipe is beautifully fragrant and buttery with the perfect amount of crunch from toasted slivered almonds and a gorgeous aroma from rosewater and ouzo. Toasting the slivered almonds is very important because you want that all important crunch and warm nutty toasted notes.
The traditional way to shape kourabiethes is in a crescent shape but feel free to roll the dough into round balls. You can even use a star cookie cutter for a christmas themed biscuit as a gift for family and friends. Dust generously with icing sugar. No amount is ever too much!
- 250g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 80g or ½ cup pure icing sugar, sifted
- 360g or 2¾ cups plain gluten free flour*
- 110g slivered almonds, toasted
- 1 tbs ouzo
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbs rosewater (optional)
- Extra icing sugar for dusting
- [i]* Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 plain gf flour (blue label) or Ardor Flour works best.
- Preheat oven to 160C. Line a baking tray with baking paper or prepare a silicone mat.
- Beat butter and icing sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine.
- Roll dough into crescent shapes and place on baking tray (if your dough is too soft to roll refrigerate for 30 min to firm up). Bake for 25 minutes until browned.
- Remove from oven and cool on tray. Dust liberally with icing sugar.
- Preheat oven to 160C. Line a baking tray with baking paper or prepare a silicone mat.
- Beat butter and icing sugar 15 sec/speed 5.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix speed 4/reverse mode/30 sec.
- Roll dough into crescent shapes and place on baking tray. Bake for 25 minutes until browned.
- Remove from oven and cool on tray. Dust liberally with icing sugar.
Good afternoon. Is icing sugar the same as confectionery sugar? When I make my cookies, I OU sweet butter regular flour and mix those until they have the right consistency. This is how the recipe was talk to me from my grandmother.
Hi Ted,
Yes icing sugar is the same as confectionery sugar. Hope this helps. Thanks for getting in touch.
Thank you Helen for posting this beautiful recipe. These are just like the gluten version and loved by all my family.
I make these all the time, thank you for the gluten free recipe, I have memories of sneaking into my aunties biscuit tin. Our family has always put a single clove in each biscuit which also gives a great flavour.
Wonderful Renee so glad you love the gluten-free kourabiethes. Clove is a great addition! Helen.
Hi Helen
These turned out perfectly. They are easy very to make and look and taste sensational!
Fantastic Maureen so glad you loved the gluten free Greek kourabiethes recipe.Such a yummy shortbread.
I like this recipe, but please can you help me with preparigr gluten free short crust and sweet pastry?
F
You can find both those recipes under Baking.
Can you use any plain gluten free flour brand ? So excited to make these.
The quality of flours varies greatly between brands. Some bake well whilst others will leave you with a crumbly mess. My two preferred brands Ardor Gluten Free flour (Melbourne based) or Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 plain gf flour (USA based).
Hi Helen,
Is Bobs stocked in any stores in Melbourne, or can you only order online?
maria
Hi Maria,
You could try health food stores in Melbourne like Sunnybrook. Otherwise another great option in Melbourne is Ardor Gluten Free Flour. You can buy Ardor online or in many Melbourne retailers, check stockists online.
Hi Helen,
Thank you for the recipe!
Are they supposed to crack on top whilst in the oven?
Thanks!
You might get some minor cracks. If they are big add more butter next time.
Would this work with dairy free spread instead of butter? We have multiple allergies here! 😬
Yes it would. If dough is too soft just add a little more flour.
I leave in Canada. I like to try the kourabiedes with gf flour. We have a bake sale at our Church, and Ilike to add that option. Can I found the Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 plain gf flour.? The town I leave is small only 130.000 people. Thank you
It should be available in Canada. If you live in a rural area your best chance of finding it is probably online. Thanks.
Must you use icing sugar as can’t have sugar added as problem Candida
How about a substitute for icing sugar
You can just leave the icing sugar on top out if you need to reduce icing sugar.
Hi Helen
Would rice flour work as a substitute for gf flour?
Hi Gemma
I have not tried it with rice flour alone but I’m assuming the biscuits will be very crumbly and brittle. Try adding a second gluten free flour for better structure.
Hello Helen I can’t have sugar, so i have to use my Nativia sugar free icing sugar. Can you also let me how- if choose to put in a clove do I just press it on top of the biscuits? Thankyou so much. Please reply to me.
Hi Rosa
If you want to add clove to flavour the biscuit I would use ground clove, but only a small amount as it is quite strong. If it’s only for decoration just press it into the dough before baking.