Kavala Kurabiyesi

Name: Kavala Kurabiyesi
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 15 cookies
Ingredients: 135 g butter, soft and at room temperature (9 ½ tbsp); 50 g powdered sugar (⅓ cup); 50 g ground blanched almonds (½ cup); 60 g coarsely chopped almonds or almond slices (½ cup); 190 g all-purpose flour (1 ½ cups); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 pinch of salt; powdered sugar for dusting

Delicate almond cookies with Turkish tradition - buttery, light, and gently nutty. A timeless treat loved in many homes for generations.

Servings

15 cookies

Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

135 g butter, soft and at room temperature (9 ½ tbsp)
50 g powdered sugar (⅓ cup)
50 g ground blanched almonds (½ cup)
60 g coarsely chopped almonds or almond slices (½ cup)
190 g all-purpose flour (1 ½ cups)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
powdered sugar for dusting

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Directions

1
In a dry pan over medium heat, lightly roast about half of the flour (around 90-95 g / ¾ cup) until it turns light beige. In a separate pan, roast the chopped almonds until golden and fragrant. Remove both from the heat and let cool completely.
2
In a large bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar until creamy. Add the vanilla extract and salt.
3
Add the roasted flour-almond mixture, the ground almonds, and the remaining flour. Knead briefly into a soft, lightly moldable dough - it should come together easily without crumbling. If the dough feels too dry, add 1-2 tsp milk or 1 tsp soft butter.
4
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes.
5
Preheat the oven to 170 °C / 340 °F (top/bottom heat). Shape the dough into a log and cut out half-moon shapes using a cookie cutter.
6
Place on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 15-18 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden (do not let them brown).
7
Once completely cooled, dust generously with powdered sugar. Soft, buttery, and full of fine almond aroma - the authentic taste of Kavala Kurabiyesi.

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FAQ

Kavala Kurabiyesi Questions

How do I know when the flour is roasted enough, and can I skip that step?

Toast roughly half the flour (about 90-95 g) in a dry pan over medium heat only until it turns light beige and smells nutty - pull it off the heat before it darkens, since scorched flour tastes bitter. Skipping this step still gives you a cookie, but you lose the toasty depth that makes Kavala Kurabiyesi taste the way it should. Let the roasted flour cool before it meets the butter, otherwise the butter melts and the dough turns greasy instead of soft and moldable.

Can I use other nuts instead of almonds?

Hazelnuts or walnuts work in place of the 60 g coarsely chopped almonds and give a stronger, darker nut flavor. For the 50 g ground blanched almonds, stay with almonds if you can - they are mild and keep the dough pale and fine-textured, which is the character of this cookie. Whatever you use, roast the chopped nuts as the recipe directs so the aroma comes through.

My dough is crumbly and won't hold together - what went wrong?

This dough is meant to be soft and lightly moldable, so crumbliness usually means the butter was too cold or wasn't beaten creamy enough with the powdered sugar. Let the butter come properly to room temperature, beat it until light, and knead only briefly - long kneading develops the flour and makes the cookies tough rather than tender. If it still resists, warm it slightly between your hands for a moment; do not add liquid, as there is none in the recipe.

Can I prepare the dough ahead of time?

Yes - the dough already needs about 30 minutes chilled in plastic wrap, and you can leave it in the fridge considerably longer if that suits your schedule. Take it out and let it soften a little before you shape the log and cut the half-moons, otherwise firm dough will crack at the edges. You can also shape the cookies and keep the tray cold until the oven reaches 170 °C / 340 °F.

How should I store the baked cookies, and when do I dust them with sugar?

Dust only once the cookies are completely cooled - on warm cookies the powdered sugar melts and disappears into a damp glaze. Keep them in an airtight tin at room temperature; the high butter and almond content keeps them tender for days, while a humid spot or the fridge softens the crumb. Give them a fresh dusting of powdered sugar just before serving if the first coat has been absorbed.

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