Go Back
Print

Pecan Crescent Cookies

Course cookies
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings 34 -35 cookies
Author Katie Rogers

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cup pecans chopped between medium & fine (the biggest bits should not be bigger than a pencil eraser!)
  • 16 tablespoons 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar sifted
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons super fine sugar*
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar for coating the cookies sifted

*Using half powdered sugar and half superfine sugar in this recipe allowed the cookies to have the perfect balance of crumbly-ness without drying out too much. Superfine sugar is just a smaller granule size and is otherwise just like regular old granulated sugar. If you can't find superfine sugar, also called caster sugar or baker's sugar, you can easily make your own by whizzing up a little granulated sugar in a food processor for a few seconds to break it down a bit. If you do this, make sure you measure the sugar after processing it!

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350*F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Cream the butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes, scrapping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  3. While it's creaming, mix together the flour and salt in a small bowl. Stir the chopped pecans into the flour mixture.
  4. Once the butter and sugar is light and fluffy, mix in the vanilla until it is completely combined. Add half the flour mix and beat on low until just combined. Scrap down the sides of the bowl and add the rest of the flour and mix again on low until just combined.
  5. Using a tablespoon, scoop out the dough. Shape each bit of dough you scoop out into about a two inch log, then gently bend the little logs into the crescent moon shape and place on your prepared baking sheet. Work quickly because if the butter gets too warm, the cookies will spread and you won't have the nice defined crescent shape!
  6. Bake for 17-20 minutes, until golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking tray for ten minutes. Remove from baking tray and let cool completely on cooling rack. Once totally cool, put the cup of powdered sugar in a shallow bowl and coat the cookies gently in the sugar.
  7. Store in an airtight container for a week or more.