It’s important to shape the dough properly; be sure the ends are not too thin, or they will brown too quickly before the cookies are baked through.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 30
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread walnuts and almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast until light golden and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate, and let cool completely. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a food processor, combine 1/2 cup flour with the toasted nuts, and pulse until the nuts are finely ground. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour-nut mixture and the remaining 1 cup flour and the salt; set aside.
Step 3
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in two batches, and beat until combined.
Step 4
Roll 1 tablespoon of dough into a 3-inch log. Using your fingers, shape log into a crescent, tapering the ends slightly so that the center is the widest part. Repeat with remaining dough, placing crescents about 1 inch apart on prepared sheets. Freeze or refrigerate until crescents are very firm, about 30 minutes.
Step 5
Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool, 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to the rack to cool completely. Place the remaining 1 cup sugar in a shallow bowl and roll cookies in it to coat completely. Cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Spelt Crescents Variation
Step 6
Follow instructions for Nut Crescents, replacing all-purpose flour with 1 1/2 cups spelt flour and substituting 1/2 cup blanched (about 2 1/2 ounces) hazelnuts for the walnuts.
Nut Crescent how-to
Step 7
The dough is first rolled into logs, then curved into tapered crescents before baking.
