Description
These Almond Crescent Cookies are buttery, delicate treats flavored with vanilla and almond extracts and coated in powdered sugar. Perfectly crescent-shaped and tender, they offer a lightly sweet, nutty flavor with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Ideal for holiday gatherings or any time you want an elegant, homemade cookie.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 227 g Unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 60 g Powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Almond extract (high quality, natural extract)
- 250 g Flour (sifted)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 125 g Almonds (almond flour, almond meal, or toasted and finely chopped)
Coating
- 40 g Powdered sugar (for coating)
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric hand mixer, beat the room-temperature butter and sifted powdered sugar together for a few minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Mix in both the vanilla and almond extracts until fully incorporated.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift together the flour and salt. Gently fold this mixture into the creamed butter using a rubber spatula just until the dough comes together, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the almonds evenly.
- Prepare Baking Trays: Line two baking trays with parchment paper to ensure cookies don’t stick during baking.
- Shape the Cookies: Use a small ice cream scoop (about 1 tablespoon) to portion the dough into 25–28 balls. If the dough is sticky, chill it briefly before shaping. Roll each ball into a log about 13 cm (5 inches) long, then curve it gently into a crescent shape. Press any cracks back together as needed.
- Chill the Shaped Cookies: Place the shaped crescents in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This chilling step helps the cookies hold their shape and prevents spreading during baking.
- Preheat and Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), without fan convection. Bake the chilled cookies for 15–17 minutes, watching carefully so that the bottoms turn golden while the tops stay pale.
- Cool Cookies: Handle the freshly baked cookies gently as they are delicate when hot. Allow them to cool to room temperature on the baking sheets to firm up.
- Coat with Powdered Sugar: Place the 40 g of powdered sugar in a bowl. Once cooled, gently roll the cookies in the powdered sugar until they are evenly coated.
- Storage: Store at room temperature in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze in a single layer then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and re-coat with powdered sugar if needed.
Notes
- Chilling the dough and shaped cookies is critical to prevent spreading and maintain shape during baking.
- If using chopped almonds instead of almond flour or meal, toast them lightly for enhanced flavor.
- Handle cookies carefully when warm as they are fragile until fully cooled.
- Use high-quality almond extract for best flavor.
- Re-coating with powdered sugar after freezing and thawing refreshes the appearance and sweetness.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: European
