Originally, Kurabye cookies came from the Middle East. However, different countries have their own variety of it. The flower-shaped cookies (that we call Russian) actually originated from Azerbajdjan, a former Soviet Union Country. Since Soviet Union consisted of many countries, you could find these butter cookies in even the smallest cities. Unlike original Kurabye cookies that are mostly made with butter, sugar and flour, Russian cookies always have jam in the middle of a cookie.