Almond Crescent Cookies

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These Almond Crescent Cookies are a delicious treat full of nostalgia and flavor. Their gentle almond aroma and snowy powdered-sugar finish make them a favorite during the holidays, but they’re just as lovely any time you want a simple, elegant cookie.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Resting time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Calories: 117kcal

Author: Katalin Nagy

Equipment

Ingredients

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 Almond Almond flour, almond meal, or toasted and finely chopped
40 g Powdered sugar use it only for coating

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Cream the room-temperature butter and powdered sugar with an electric hand mixer for a few minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla and almond extract until fully incorporated.
Sift together the flour and salt, then gently fold the mixture into the butter with a rubber spatula just until everything comes together. Avoid overmixing. Add the almonds and fold again carefully until evenly distributed.
Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Using a small ice cream scoop (about 1 tablespoon), portion the dough into 25–28 balls. If the dough feels too soft or sticky to handle, chill it for a few minutes before shaping. Roll each ball into a log about 13 cm / 5 inches long, then curve it into a crescent. If a piece cracks during shaping, simply press it back together.
Chill the shaped crescents for at least 1 hour. This helps them hold their shape in the oven and prevents spreading.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), no fan. Once the dough is well chilled, bake the cookies for 15–17 minutes. Keep a close eye on them; they’re ready when the bottoms are golden, but the tops remain pale.
Handle the cookies gently when they come out of the oven; they are very delicate while hot and will firm up as they cool. Let them reach room temperature before coating.
Place the powdered sugar into a bowl, then gently roll dust and/or roll them in the powdered sugar one by one until well coated.
Storage Instructions
Room Temperature: Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Place a sheet of parchment paper between layers to prevent breakage.
Longer Storage: These cookies freeze very well. Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, and dust again with powdered sugar before serving if needed.

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES:

Measure your ingredients with a digital scale for accuracy.
Use room temperature ingredients (e.g. butter) and sift the dry ingredients (e.g. powdered sugar and flour).
Using store-bought almond flour works just as well as grinding your own almonds, and the flavor difference is negligible following my tests. Grinding nuts at home can easily lead to under- or over-processing, so it’s not worth the extra effort in my view. Because almonds have a naturally mild flavor, a high-quality almond extract is still essential. If you switch to stronger nuts like pecans or walnuts, you won’t need any extract at all. And don’t worry, even with almond flour, the cookies stay moist, not dry, because almonds are naturally rich in fat.
Look for pure or natural almond extract made from real almonds rather than synthetic flavorings. The ingredient list should be short with no artificial additives or colors. High-quality almond extract has a warm, nutty aroma, free of any harsh chemical smell. A small bottle goes a long way, so it’s worth investing in a good one for the best flavor.

TECHNIQUE NOTES:

Make sure you read my Expert tips section above to maximize your success. A short recipe alone cannot cover all the necessary details and the science behind baking.
If the dough feels too moist before scooping/shaping, place it into the fridge for 15 minutes for the butter to solidify
Do not skip the chilling time, or the cookies might turn out very flat, losing their signature shape.
Try not to overbake your cookies; they should stay nice and pale. Consider using an oven thermometer.
The cookies will be very fragile when they are hot, but they will set as they cool.
Depending on the size of your ice cream scooper, you may get slightly more or fewer cookies than stated.

Nutrition