Description
Crescent-shaped butter cookies generously dusted with powdered sugar arranged on a white plate, showing their delicate pale golden edges and tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened – Make sure it’s truly soft, not melted. It should leave a slight indent when you press it.
- ½ cup powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting – Powdered sugar gives these cookies their delicate, tender crumb.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – Pure vanilla is best here for that warm, sweet aroma.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour – Measure by spooning into your cup and leveling off for accuracy.
- 1 cup finely ground almonds (almond flour or finely chopped whole almonds) – This is what makes these cookies special!
- ¼ teaspoon salt – Just a pinch to balance all that buttery sweetness.
Optional Finishing:
- Additional powdered sugar for rolling/coating – Trust me, you’ll want plenty on hand for that gorgeous snowy finish.
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). This lower temperature is intentional—it lets the cookies bake through without browning too much. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or give them a light greasing. Set them aside and get ready to make some magic happen.
In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and ½ cup powdered sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and almost looks like frosting. This should take about 2-3 minutes with a mixer.
Don’t rush this step—proper creaming creates those air pockets that make the cookies so tender.
Mix in the vanilla extract until it’s fully incorporated. Your kitchen should already be smelling amazing at this point.
Gradually add the all-purpose flour, ground almonds, and salt to your butter mixture. Mix on low speed or stir by hand until a soft dough forms.
The dough will look slightly crumbly at first, but it should hold together nicely when you press it between your fingers. If it seems too dry, that’s normal—the warmth of your hands will bring it together.
This is the fun part! Take about 1 tablespoon of dough (a small cookie scoop works beautifully here) and roll it between your palms to form a small log, about 3 inches long. Then gently curve it into a crescent shape with tapered ends.
Place each shaped cookie about 1 inch apart on your prepared baking sheet. They don’t spread much, so you can fit quite a few on one sheet.
Slide your cookies into the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. You’re looking for edges that are just lightly golden—not browned.
The bottoms might have a touch of color, but the tops should stay pale. These cookies continue to firm up as they cool, so don’t be tempted to overbake them or they’ll turn out dry instead of tender.
Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 3-5 minutes—just until they’re cool enough to handle but still warm.
While they’re warm, generously dust them with powdered sugar using a fine-mesh sieve. The warmth helps the sugar stick beautifully.
Once your cookies are completely cool, give them one more light dusting of powdered sugar.
Notes
- Make them uniform: Use a tablespoon measure or small cookie scoop to portion out the dough so all your cookies bake evenly
- Keep dough cool: If your kitchen is warm and the dough gets too soft to shape, refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes to firm it up
- Double dust method: That first dusting while warm, second when cool technique isn’t just for looks—it creates a perfect sweet coating that won’t rub off
- Don’t skip the parchment: Even if your pan is nonstick, parchment makes a real difference in how evenly these delicate cookies bake
- Toast your almonds first: For an extra layer of flavor, lightly toast your whole almonds before grinding them—just watch them carefully so they don’t burn
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American