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Greek butter cookies

Sugar coated butter cookies are very well liked in Greece.

Ingredients

2 1⁄2 cups flour (all purpose)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter (softened, about 2 sticks)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1⁄4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup confectioner's sugar (for sprinkling)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and egg until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla and almond extracts.

Add flour mixture to creamed butter and mix until a soft dough has been formed.

Take 1 teaspoon dough and model with your hands your preferred cookie shape - round, half moon, crescent.

Place cookies on a baking sheet, keeping them about 2 inches apart.

Bake on middle rack for about 15 minutes,

Remove cookies and cool on wire rack for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle powdered sugar over cookies.

Total time
45 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
Preparation time 30 minutes
Yield
36 cookies

Notes

The cookies should be barely brown around the edges.

Although the traditional method seems to roll the cookies in powdered sugar, use a flour sifter or a small colander to sprinkle the powdered sugar on top of the cookies to get an even coat with a reduced calorie count.

To vary the flavor, add 1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds to the soft dough on step 3. Other tried and tested flavorings are rose water, Greek liquor such as ouzo, and lemon or orange zest.

Source

Discover Greek cuisine, the contents of a Greek pantry, and Greek recipes to make. Learn about Greek holidays and festivals.

Cookies are topped with one whole clove each on Christmas. These cloves represent the spices brought to the baby Jesus by the Wise Men.

easy, bake
treats, holiday
Greek food recipes
Food in Greece

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