Description
These traditional Greek almond shortbread cookies offer a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture with a fragrant hint of orange blossom water. Coated in a thick layer of powdered sugar, they look like festive snowballs and make a beautiful addition to any holiday dessert spread.
Ingredients
- 250g unsalted butter, softened
- 75g icing sugar, plus extra for coating
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water, plus extra for sprinkling
- 100g whole almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
- 450g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Coarsely chop the almonds and toast them in a pan over medium heat until golden and fragrant; set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and 75g of icing sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg yolk and one tablespoon of orange blossom water until smooth.
- Fold in the toasted almonds, then gradually add the flour and baking powder, mixing until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough by hand for a few minutes until smooth and pliable.
- Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Shape the dough into small balls or crescent shapes and place them on the prepared sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until set but still pale.
- While warm, sprinkle with a few drops of orange blossom water and dredge generously in icing sugar until completely coated.
Notes
To achieve the best texture, ensure your butter is at room temperature before starting, as this allows for maximum aeration during creaming. If you find the cookies are too fragile to handle while hot, let them rest on the baking sheet for two minutes before starting the sugar-coating process.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek