Kourabie and kourabiedes (plural) are commonly consumed in Greece during the Christmas season. They are the popular treat for Christmas and New Year’s festivities.
It resembles light, airy shortbread and is made with almonds. Almonds are the most important ingredient in a kourabie, and provide the cookie’s signature almond flavour. Other ingredients include large amounts of butter, along with flour, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract.
The name comes from the Turkish “kyrabiye”, which means biscuit, a sweet made from flour, butter and raw sugar. Asia Minor refugees from Karvali in Cappadocia founded New Karvali in the Greek province of Kavala in 1924 and brought the traditional recipe with them. Thus, the best-known traditional kourabie in Greece today is the one from Kavala.
The origins should be sought in Persia. Of course, like most famous sweets, many countries claim its origin, particularly Lebanon, while similar treats are found in Turkey and Albania as well as Spanish-speaking countries, but are called Polboron.
