Greek Wedding Cookies – Kourabiedes (Gluten Free!)

For those of you, or your loved ones you bake for, who have Celiac disease, wheat allergies, or are gluten intolerant/sensitive, find a gluten free flour blend – or even just a gluten free brown rice flour. If you don’t use a blend that already has some Xanthan gum in it, you’ll want to have some of that on hand for this recipe too!

This recipe takes about two hours to make from start to finish because the dough needs to be chilled for an hour before you start the fun “rolling and shaping” as you form each one into a crescent. (My little sister actually just rolls them into tiny, bite-sized balls for work parties because they’re less messy!)

Kitchen tools and accessories that help:
Electric mixer, sifter, cellophane (SaranWrap), wax paper.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.
2. Spread the finely chopped almonds onto a cookie sheet and toast them for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until it is whipped and creamy.
4. Add the 1/2 cup of sugar, egg yolk, orange juice and brandy.
5. Continue to beat until blended and thick.
6. Slowly add the flour and toasted almonds (and xanthan gum if it’s a gluten free flour – because it acts as the binder in place of gluten) and continue to mix until blended.
7. Using your hands, roll the dough into a ball and wrap in SaranWrap (cellophane) to keep it from drying out. Place in the refrigerator for an hour.
8. Once the dough is chilled, pinch off small pieces of the dough and roll them into a ball, about an inch in diameter. Press in the center of the ball and slightly twist to get the crescent look.
9. Place them on an un-greased cookie sheet about an inch apart (they don’t spread).
10. Stick a clove in the center of each cookie (optional – and you remove these before serving!!!)
11. Bake at 350 F for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.
12. Cover additional cookie sheets or trays with wax paper and cover them completely with confectioner’s sugar.
13. Place the warm cookies directly on top of the confectioner’s sugar.
14. Using a sifter, sift additional confectioner’s sugar to cover the cookies.
15. Place cookies in small paper cupcake cups to serve…or eat them right off the trays.

*When finished they should be just slightly crumbly and melt in your mouth!