Delicious, old-fashioned Greek cookies, prepared with pork lard. Easy and scrumptious, these cookies have been prepared for generations in Greek homes ( and neighboring countries).
Today’s recipe is very close to my heart. Growing up, my mom and grandma would make these cookies almost every Christmas. I still remember one afternoon after school when I tried to recreate them on my own. My first attempt wasn’t exactly perfect – much like my first try at making my grandma’s famous Ground Walnut Cookies – but it didn’t dampen my love for cooking.
Years have passed, and now I can make these from scratch with ease. Join me, and I’ll show you how – they truly never disappoint. And if you happen to have some extra lard on hand, you should definitely try my Homemade Old-fashioned Croissants Recipe too. They’re irresistibly soft and flaky!
Ingredients & substitutions
- Pork lard – clean, organic pork lard is best. Should be room temperature, not melted.
- Flour – all purpose unbleached white flour.
- Powdered white sugar – is best for cookie texture.
- Egg – binds everything together.
- Walnuts – chopped walnuts are an optional ingredient, that however is very tasty.
- Vanilla drops – optional for better taste.
- Optional: cacao powder
How to make 5 Ingredient Greek Cookies with lard
1st: Combine all dry ingredients, next add soft (room temperature, but not liquid lard) and mix well.
2nd: Add remaining ingredients and incorporate well. Roll out flat dough (not too thin otherwise cookies may fall apart), and cut out desired shapes. Bake as directed. Let cool and store in air-thigh container.
TIP: If dough is too oily get it wrapped up in foil and stored in the fridge for 10-15 minutes, before rolling it out.
What is Pork Lard
Pork lard is a type of animal fat, derived from rendering pigs fatty tissues. There are different methods for rendering pork lard – such as dry heating, boiling or steaming. My grandparents used boiling and steaming back in the day when homesteading was a way of life for many.
Is Pork Lard healthy?
There’s often debate around pork lard and its health benefits. Depending on personal health considerations and dietary preferences, it can be seen as either healthy or less so. The fact is, pork lard has been used for generations across Europe – and continues to be today. It’s widely available in supermarkets in countries like Italy, Greece, Hungary, and Bulgaria, to name just a few. Even now, people rely on lard for cooking and baking, and with great results.
My personal opinion is that if lard isn’t highly processed and from organic source, then it’s on my healthy fats list.
Pork Lard Uses
Pork lard is a versatile fat, used for cooking, baking, and even deep-frying. With a smoke point of around 190°C (370°F), it’s suitable for a wide range of culinary tasks. Many traditional recipes call for lard instead of butter – and when I was little, butter was either hard to find or expensive, so lard was the go-to choice for most families.
Even today, many restaurants, especially in Italy and Greece, as well as food manufacturers across Europe, continue to use lard in their cooking – despite occasional criticism.
5 Ingredient Greek Cookies (old-fashioned)
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet not-stick
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
Instructions
- First, combine flour, chopped walnuts and vanilla stir well.
- Next, add soft (room temperature, not melted) pork lard, egg and powdered sugar and incorporate well. Dough should be soft and oily.
- Roll out (approx. 5 mm) dough and cut out desired shapes. If dough is too oily – refrigerate it for 20-15 minutes until it gets firmer. Then roll out.
- Bake in preheated oven (180C/360F) onto parchment paper for about 10 minutes – until cookies start to brow. Be careful as they burn out pretty quickly.
- Let cool completely and preserve in air-tight container for up to 72 hours in a cool place.
Notes
Nutrition
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