Name: Vegan Kourabiedes with Olive Oil (Greek Christmas Cookies)
Yield: 30
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 5 cups (600 g) all-purpose flour; 3 teaspoons baking powder; 1 cup (150 g) almonds, finely chopped; 1 1/2 cups light olive oil or neutral vegetable oil; 3/4 cup orange juice; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 cup (135 g) confectioners’ sugar; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons orange blossom water; 2–3 cups confectioners’ sugar, for coating; Additional orange blossom water, for spraying the hot cookies; Neutral vegetable oil instead of light olive oil, to omit the olive oil flavor; Rose water instead of orange blossom water; Extra 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in place of the orange blossom water; A pinch of vanillin powder mixed into the powdered sugar for extra aroma

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Kourabiedes always take me back to Christmas growing up in a Greek household in New York. Even though I’ve never spent Christmas in Greece, our home was filled with Greek traditions, familiar flavors, and the kind of warmth that only comes from baking and celebrating together.

These vegan kourabiedes are a gentle twist on those memories. Made with light olive oil, orange juice, and a hint of orange blossom water, they’re tender, fragrant, and just as festive as the classics — without any dairy.

Why You’ll Love These Vegan Kourabiedes

These cookies are:

Completely vegan and dairy-free
Made with simple pantry ingredients
Light, tender, and fragrant
Perfect for holiday cookie trays and gifting
Even better after a day or two

They’re the kind of cookie you make once and then find yourself making every Christmas after that.

A Very Important Tip: Don’t Overmix the Dough

This is the most important thing to know when making olive oil–based cookies.

Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until the dough comes together. Do not knead it and don’t keep mixing to make it “extra smooth.”

When olive oil dough is overmixed, the oil starts to release from the dough. That leads to:

A greasy dough
Cookies that spread too much
A heavier texture instead of that tender, crumbly bite

As soon as everything is combined and the dough looks smooth and soft, stop mixing. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes, and you’ll notice how much easier it is to work with afterward.

This one small step makes all the difference.

Shaping the Cookies

You can shape these cookies in two ways, depending on your mood and how festive you’re feeling.

For a classic look, roll about 35 g of dough into balls and gently flatten them slightly.

If you want something extra special for Christmas, roll the dough about 1/2-inch thick and use festive cookie cutters. Stars, trees, crescents — they all work beautifully. Check out my Amazon (affiliate) Shop for my favorite tools here.

Just remember: these cookies don’t spread much, so whatever shape you cut is the shape you’ll get.

Baking and Finishing Touches

Bake the cookies until they’re lightly golden on the bottom and just beginning to color on the edges. You don’t want them dark — they should stay pale and tender.

As soon as they come out of the oven, spray or lightly sprinkle them with orange blossom water while they’re still hot. This step adds the most beautiful aroma and really sets them apart.

Then comes the best part: a generous snowfall of powdered sugar. Don’t be shy here. Kourabiedes should look like they’ve been dusted by fresh snow.

Flavor Variations

These cookies are very forgiving and easy to customize:

Use a neutral vegetable oil instead of olive oil if you want zero olive oil flavor
Swap orange blossom water for rose water
Leave floral waters out entirely and add an extra teaspoon of vanilla
Mix a little vanillin powder into the powdered sugar for extra fragrance

They’re delicious no matter which direction you go.

Storage Tips

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They keep beautifully for several days and, like most Greek cookies, actually taste better after they’ve had time to rest and absorb all those flavors.

A Little Holiday Wish From My Kitchen to Yours

I hope these vegan kourabiedes find a place on your holiday table, whether you’re making them for loved ones, gifting them to friends, or simply enjoying one with a cup of coffee or tea.

Greek Christmas cookies are more than just desserts — they’re memories, traditions, and a way of sharing love. May your home be filled with warmth, sweetness, and the joy that comes from baking something special.

Kali Orexi and happy holidays 🤍

Watch the Video:

Vegan Kourabiedes with Olive Oil (Greek Christmas Cookies)

Yield: about 30 cookies

These vegan kourabiedes are light, fragrant Greek Christmas cookies made with light olive oil (or vegetable oil), orange juice, and orange blossom water. They’re buttery-tasting without any butter, stay tender for days, and are finished with a cloud of powdered sugar. Perfect for gifting and holiday cookie trays.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

5 cups (600 g) all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup (150 g) almonds, finely chopped

Wet Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups light olive oil or neutral vegetable oil
3/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (135 g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons orange blossom water

For Finishing:

2–3 cups confectioners’ sugar, for coating
Additional orange blossom water, for spraying the hot cookies

Optional Variations:

Neutral vegetable oil instead of light olive oil, to omit the olive oil flavor
Rose water instead of orange blossom water
Extra 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in place of the orange blossom water
A pinch of vanillin powder mixed into the powdered sugar for extra aroma

Instructions

Prepare the dry ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and finely chopped almonds. Set aside.
Activate the baking soda: In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the orange juice and baking soda. Stir; it will foam up. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the wet ingredients.
Mix the wet ingredients: In another large bowl, add the olive oil (or vegetable oil), confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and orange blossom water. Whisk until combined and smooth.
Combine wet and dry: Pour the orange juice–baking soda mixture into the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing with a spatula or your hands until a soft, smooth dough forms. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If it feels too sticky, add a tablespoon or two of flour.
Rest the dough: Cover the bowl and let the dough rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. This helps the flour hydrate and makes the dough easier to shape.
Shape the cookies (cookie cutters option): Lightly flour your work surface. Divide the dough in half and roll one half out to about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Use your favorite festive cookie cutters to cut out cookies. Place them on the prepared baking trays, leaving a little space between each.
Shape the cookies (ball option): Alternatively, pinch off pieces of dough about 35 g each and roll them into smooth balls. Place on the baking trays and gently flatten the tops just slightly with your fingers.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden on the bottom and just starting to color on the edges. Do not overbake; you want them to stay tender.
Flavor and coat: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, lightly spray or sprinkle them with orange blossom water while still hot. Immediately sift a generous layer of confectioners’ sugar over the top so it sticks to the warm cookies. Let them cool completely on the trays.
Serve and store: Once cool, you can sift on a second light layer of powdered sugar if desired. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They keep well for several days and the flavor improves as they sit

Notes

For a completely neutral flavor, use a mild vegetable oil instead of light olive oil. You can swap orange blossom water with rose water or leave it out and add an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract. For even more fragrance, mix a little vanillin powder into the powdered sugar before dusting the cookies.

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