Almond butter cookies

NOTES

The butter must have room temperature.
The creamiest the butter-sugar mixture is, the fluffiest will be your cookies.
The right almond butter cookie needs coarsely ground almonds. It’s better not to completely shatter them because the dough will be tougher.
When all ingredients are well combined, you don’t need to knead the batter for long, otherwise it won’t be soft.
If you like, leave some kourabiedes without ground sugar, like I do.

	500 gr. soft wheat flour
	250 gr. roasted almonds
	100 gr. caster sugar
	350 gr. unsalted butter
	2 tsp baking powder
	1 tsp grated mahleb
	1 mastic tear + 1 tsp caster sugar
	2 tsp ouzo liqueur
	Lots of caster sugar for sprinkling

1.	In a pan with anti-stick paper you spread the almonds and roast them under the grill for 2-3 minutes on each side. You leave them cool and coarsely ground them in the multi –cutter.
2.	In the mortar you break the mastic along with the 1 tsp caster sugar.
3.	You beat the butter with the caster sugar in a hand mixer, until creamy.
4.	In a bowl you mix flour, grated mahleb, baking powder, ground mastic and almonds.
5.	Add the butter mixture and the ouzo liqueur in the flour mixture.
6.	You bring all the ingredients together until combined so as to have a soft dough.
7.	Leave the dough covered for ½ hour to rest. This way you can easier shape the cookies.
8.	Preheat the oven in 180o C.
9.	You put anti-stick paper in two pans. Take a small portion of dough each time and shape the cookies.
10.	Bake for 18-20 minutes depending on how crispy you prefer them.
11.	Let them cool on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
12.	In a pan, sift caster sugar and put kourabiedes. Sprinkle them on top with powdered sugar
13.	Let them cool completely and put them on a platter. Sprinkle with extra powdered sugar on top, if you prefer.