Pecan Crescent Cookies
Delicate, buttery cookies filled with the nutty warmth of pecans, perfect for holiday gifting and gatherings.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour Spoon and level for accuracy; pastry flour will make them even more tender.
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened Should be at room temperature but not melted.
- 1 cup ground pecans Pulse in a food processor to maintain some fine texture.
- 2.5 cups powdered sugar, divided 1/2 cup in the dough, 2 cups for coating.
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract Optional, brightens the nut flavor.
Instructions
Preparation
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy and light—about 1–2 minutes.
- Add the flour, ground pecans, 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix until the dough comes together.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the butter.
- Remove dough and roll into 1-inch balls.
- Gently shape each ball into a crescent and place crescents on the prepared sheet.
- Refrigerate the shaped cookies, covered, for 2 hours.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the chilled crescents for 15 minutes, or until they are just set and very lightly golden on the bottom.
- Remove from the oven and while still warm enough to handle, roll each cookie in the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar.
- Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
These cookies freeze beautifully. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and chill longer. Don't skip the long chill to keep their shape.