The oven has been working in overtime the last couple days as we eagerly await my mom’s arrival this weekend and give Christmas cookies to our friends and neighbors. I love this time of year!
The smell of cookies baking is definitely holiday bliss and it makes me so happy! This year while making my Yiyia’s Greek Kourabiethes cookies, I was instantly transported to her home in Chicago. She always had her dining room table packed full of goodies and my brothers and sister and I would always sneak in there to have a treat or two… and these were my favorite. I cry every year when I make them because I feel like I’m a kid all over again and it makes me miss her. I like to think that she would enjoy watching me make them with my own kids… I know she would!
I thought some of you might enjoy having the recipe? They are so easy to make and only include five ingredients:
Also on my cookie list this year: snickerdoodles and peanut butter chunk cookies! What is on your baking list?
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
How lovely! Adorable packaging, and what a kind thought to bake and give away! Love it!
I’m starting that process soon myself. I make cookies for all of Stefan’s students and it takes forever! This weekend I’ll be prepping the dough for chocolate crinkles and almond crescents/Mexican wedding cookies (which look similar to your recipe, actually!). Monday is cookie press day. Later in the week it’s peanut butter blossoms and cut-outs for the family. I’m sure I’ll have a backache from all the standing, but it’s worth it! (I just remembered we need to DIY some tags for the student bags…another project!)
Oh, Greek grandmother cookies…when my oldest daughter was a toddler here in Chicago, we had an entire street of wonderful Greek neighbours. When they discovered my love of Greek food, the treats and goodies were a regular feature of our days.
My little one used to go out into the back garden and call “Yaya! Papou!” over and over again, and out they’d come with a tray piled with freshly baked cookies for her
Raising children in a country far from my own family, this meant the world to me.
@kikkis planet Better to give than to eat them all myself!
@Juliette Have you seen this post on Creature Comforts: http://www.creaturecomfortsblog.com/home/2012/12/12/free-holiday-printables-roundup-for-2012.html
There are some great links for printable tags if you are in a pinch… or are a sucker for cute designs like me!
@Tracy That is just the sweetest thing ever! I can just imagine it! Yiyias always have a knack for showing love through food!
Sigh… I think you just totally made my day with that story!
@Tina: Yes! I was totally going to use one of those! I want to add glitter to the edges of a tag somehow…maybe I’m too ambitious?? I always use some kind of free printable for their cookie bags, yay internet, lol!
@Juliette If you can find some super sticky tape like this:http://www.tayloredexpressions.com/item.php?item_id=218
You can just sprinkle the glitter over it and it will stay put without needing to be heated, though if you had a heat gun that will give it an extra strong set and a smoother surface. You’ll have to show the results on your blog!
These look lovely and what lovely memories to go with them! Happy Holidays!
They sound delicious, and such a wonderful way to keep the memories alive. Love the cookie tins too.
Ohh you are just adorable. Your neighbors are in for a tasty (and might I say) very pretty treat indeed.
Happy weekend Tina, bet the house is about to explode with excitement today.
See you next week (I’m better now:)
Axx
Thank you Tina for sharing the recipe of the Kourabiethes with all of us. I love to bake cookies at this time of the year, as a matter of fact today I had a mother/daughter, grandma/granddaughter cookie baking day at my house. It was so much fun. I will definitely try your recipe.
Hugs
hi Tina!
I made your nana’s cookies on Sunday…I am not a baker, but these looked easy enough for me not to screw up!
They are sooooo tender and are sooooo buttery! I used Cake and Pastry flour because that is what I had on hand.
I boxed them up for small gifts for friends and acquaintances with a small homemade card. The best part was when they ate them in front of me! Devoured them actually!
Thanks so much for sharing and have a lovely Christmas with your family!
Hi Tina, thank you for sharing this lovely recipe, I am wanting to try it but the ‘sweet butter’ has me confused – is that the equivalent of unsalted butter????
Hope you are continuing to enjoy the Festive Season, I hope you do get a White Christmas, and yep Mums are just the best xx
@ Michelle It is just regular unsalted butter, though I sometimes use lightly salted butter if that is all I have on hand.
Hope you are having a wonderful holiday!