Greekcognaccookies Recipes

GREEK BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Blend in the flour to form a dough. you may have to knead by hand at the end. Take about a teaspoon of dough at a time and roll into balls, logs or 'S' shapes. Place cookies 1 to 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned and firm. Allow cookies to cool completely before dusting with confectioners' sugar.

KOURAMBIATHES (GREEK COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets.
• In a medium bowl, cream the butter, egg yolk and anise extract until light. Stir in the 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and flour until blended.
• Shape dough into crescents and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in preheated oven just until bottoms and edges begin to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Dust heavily with confectioners' sugar before they are completely cool.

GREEK COGNAC COOKIES

Steps:

• Place butter in mixer bowl and mix until smooth.
• Scrape down sides and gradually add the sugar, and blend until well incorporated.
• Scrape down sides and add the egg yolk and cognac, and mix well.
• Gradually add the flour and mix until well combined.
• Cover with waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 3-4 hours, or freeze up to 2 weeks.
• Preheat oven to 325º.
• To form the cookies, break off small pieces and roll into 1-inch balls.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake until very lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes.
• Cool for 2 minutes and remove to a rack.
• When cooled, sprinkle with additional confectioners' sugar.

GREEK CHRISTMAS COOKIES (KOURAMBIEDES)

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the butter and salt and whip until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar, egg, brandy, and vanilla and beat until all of the ingredients are integrated. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add sifted flour to the butter mixture. Using a rubber spatula, remove the dough and transfer it onto a piece of waxed paper or parchment. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes before rolling.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• After the dough has cooled, pinch off small pieces and roll them into about 1-inch balls. Place them in a single layer with space in between each, on a greased baking sheet. Repeat the process until all of the cookie dough has been rolled. Place a clove in the center of each cookie. Alternatively, shape the ball into half moons with a clove in the center of each.
• Place the sheets in the oven and bake until the cookies are just slightly brown, about 15 minutes. Allow them to cool thoroughly, and then roll them in powdered sugar.

BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
• Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

GREEK COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Pour the chicken broth and water into a saucepan, stir in the garlic, and bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover the pan, and remove from heat. Allow the couscous to stand until all the water has been absorbed, about 5 minutes; fluff with a fork. Allow the couscous to cool to warm temperature.
• In a large serving bowl, lightly toss the couscous, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, and garbanzo beans. Mix the oregano, black pepper, white wine vinegar, and lemon juice in a small bowl, and pour over the couscous mixture. Toss again to serve.

GREEK WEDDING COOKIES

Steps:

• Soften butter to room temperature, then beat with electric mixer 10 minutes, or until white and creamy.
• Continuing to beat constantly, add the 1/4 cup sugar, egg yolk, and orange juice, until mixture is thick like mayonnaise.
• Sift flour and cornstarch into bowl and continue mixing until mixed well, then knead for 5 minutes.
• Roll dough into a round log and cut diagonally into 1/2 inch slices, then shape with fingers into crescent shapes.
• Place 1/2 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Stick a whole clove in the center of each cookie, and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.
• Sprinkle 1 cup (of the 1 pound) sugar on a large sheet of waxed paper, then gently transfer the hot cookies (using a spatula) onto the waxed paper, as soon as they come out of the oven.
• Place cookies side by side on the waxed paper, and once they are all on the paper, sift the remaining sugar over the cookies.
• Cool 4 hours,then serve, or wait until the next day when they are even better.

GREEK COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream butter or margarine with sugar; add egg yolk and cognac.
• Mix well.
• Gradually add flour; chill 3-4 hours.
• Shape into 1-inch balls.
• Insert a whole clove in top of each.
• Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 325°F for 20-25 minutes.
• Cool.
• Dust with sifted confectioners' sugar.
• Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

GREEK HOLIDAY COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add 2 eggs; beat well. Beat in orange juice and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle., Roll dough into 1-1/4-in. balls. Shape each into a 6-in. rope; fold in half and twist twice. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. , In a small bowl, beat the remaining 2 eggs; brush over dough. Bake at 350° for 7-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove to wire racks.

KRASOKOULOURA OR WINE COOKIES (GREECE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 340 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, beat together wine, sugar, salt, oils, cinnamon, cloves & 2 tablespoons sesame seeds.
• Dissolve baking soda in lemon juice & stir that blend into the mixture in the large bowl.
• Sift or whisk flower & baking powder together, then add 5 cups of this mixture to the large bow with the initial ingredients, mixing with handsl
• Continue adding flour & kneading until dough doesn't stick to the hands ~ Don't use all the flour if it isn't needed! Knead until dough is soft, about 8 minutes.
• TO MAKE SPIRALS ~ Take a piece of dough about the size of a small egg & squeeze a few times to soften. Scatter a few sesame seeds on the work surface & roll dough through seeds into a strip about 8 inches long. With strip on work surface, wrap into a spiral shape & tuck the end under the cookie.
• TO MAKE RINGS ~ Take a smaller piece of dough & roll out as above into a strip about 7 inches long. Form into a ring & pinch ends together with wet fingers.
• TO MAKE 'S' SHAPES ~ Take a larger piece of dough & roll out as above into a strip about 10 inches long. Working from both ends, wrap spirals in opposite directions until they meet in the middle.
• Place cookies on a nonstick or lightly oiled baking sheet & bake about 30 minutes.

SIMPLE GREEK COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat, and stir in couscous. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Mix olives, red bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, and couscous together in a bowl. Stir about 1 tablespoon liquid from olives and 1 tablespoon oil from sun-dried tomatoes into the couscous mixture until moistened. Add more oil as needed. Fold in feta cheese; sprinkle with parsley.