Kourambiedes (Greek Christmas Butter Cookies)

Ingredients

• 200g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 80g icing sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons orange liqueur or ouzo
• 200g all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 60g roasted unsalted peanuts, finely ground
• 1 whole clove per cookie
• Coating: 80g icing sugar for dusting

Method

1. 1
   Cream butter and icing sugar together in bowl using electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes; scrape bowl and beater.
2. 2
   Beat in egg yolk and vanilla extract until fully incorporated; add orange liqueur and beat 1 minute until combined.
3. 3
   Whisk flour and salt in separate bowl; add ground peanuts and mix thoroughly with fork.
4. 4
   Fold flour mixture into wet ingredients in three additions using rubber spatula until just combined; dough should be soft and slightly sticky but holdable.
5. 5
   Preheat oven to 160°C and line large baking tray with parchment paper.
6. 6
   Roll dough into 24 balls approximately 18g each; place on prepared tray spaced 3cm apart, press one whole clove firmly into top of each ball, and bake 20 minutes until pale golden and just set.
7. 7
   Cool on baking tray for 5 minutes; transfer to wire rack and cool completely, approximately 30 minutes.
8. 8
   Place icing sugar in shallow bowl and gently roll cooled cookies through sugar until lightly coated; store in airtight container.