During the holidays , especially when the first sign of flurries appear , I am ready for my holiday cookies . I must confess , these cresent cookies , made with toasted almonds ( very important , I find , as it intensifies the flavor of the almond and gives the cookie a crisper texture ) , are my favorite . Normally the cookies are rolled in powdered sugar , but I use just a dusting , its just the right amount . I made slightly larger cookies to pack as individual gifts , but , round , crescents or even cigar shapes are attractive .
Adapted from cook’s illustrated
Makes about 4 dozen cookies
Photograph by Rahul Mahtani
2 cups hazelnuts , toasted or a scant 1 3/4 cups whole blanched almonds ( preferably toasted )
2 cups bleached all purpose flour
3/4 tsp table salt
1/2 lb (2 sticks ) unsalted butter , softened
1/3 cup superfine sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract ( if using almonds )
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar for rolling cooled cookies ( I used less than 1 cup as I just sifted the sugar on top )
Adjust oven racks to upper and lowe middle positions and heat oven to 325*F . Mix 1 cup chopped nuts , flour and salt in medium bowl . In workbowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade , process remaining chopped nutsuntil the texture of coarse cornmeal , 10 to 15 seconds ( do not overprocess );stir into flour mixture and set aside.
In bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed or by hand , beat butter and sugar until light and creamy , about 1 1/2 minutes with an electric mixer or 4 minutes by hand ; beat in extracts . Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with rubber spatula; add flour mixture and beat at low speed until dough just begins to come together but still looks scrappy , about 15 seconds . Beat at low speed until mixture just comes together , 6 to 9 seconds ( do not overbeat .
Working with about 1 tbs dough at a time , roll and shape cookies into balls or other desired shape . Bake until tops are pale golden and bottoms are just beginning to brown , turning cookie sheets from front to back and switching from top to bottom racks halfway through baking , 17 to 19 minutes .
Cool cookies on sheets about 2 minutes ;remove to cooling rack to cool completely . Then either roll each cookie in powdered sugar or simply dust with powdered sugar.
Filed under: Desert, Dessert, Eggless | Tagged: cook's illustrated, Eggless cookies, eggless dessert, hazelnut or almond crescent cookies, nut cookies with powdered sugar | Leave a comment »