A visit to Aunt Bobbie’s house always meant there would be a plateful of her yummy cookies on the kitchen counter. These crunchy cookies are packed full of finely ground pecans (I like to grind them in a food processor), while the butter and vanilla give them a rich flavor that is made even more delicious with the nice coating of confectioners’ sugar. These pretty cookies are perfect for a shower or luncheon dessert. The recipe is easily doubled and the dough freezes nicely, too.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room
- temperature, plus more for greasing the pans (or use nonstick cooking spray)
- temperature, plus more for greasing the pans (or use nonstick cooking spray)
- 0.125 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 cup ground pecans
- 2½ cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more
- for rolling
How to Make It
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar on medium-low speed until just combined, increase speed to high, and beat until smooth and creamy, 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, cinnamon (if using), and ground pecans. Beat on low speed just to combine.
- Scrape down the sides and around the bottom of the bowl. Increase the speed to high and beat for 1 minute. Add the flour and beat on low speed until completely blended. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two rimmed baking sheets with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- With lightly floured hands, pinch off about 2 heaping teaspoons of dough, roll it into a log, then bend the dough slightly to form a crescent shape. Each one should be about 4 inches long and ¾ inch in diameter. Repeat with the remaining dough and put them on the prepared baking sheet 1 to 1½ inches apart.
- Bake until lightly browned on the bottom, about 15 minutes. While still warm, roll the cookies in confectioners’ sugar for the best coverage. Let cool completely on a wire rack with parchment or wax paper underneath to catch the confectioners’ sugar that comes off the cookies. You can sprinkle it back over the cookies once they are in a container.
- The cookies will keep in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. If the cookies last longer than a day or two, they will need more confectioners’ sugar sifted over them, as it tends to dissolve into the moist cookie.
- Variation CHOCOLATE-DIPPED CRESCENTS Omit the confectioners’ sugar and drizzle these cookies with Chocolate Ganache (this page), or dip the ends into the ganache first and then into finely chopped pecans.
