These almond crescent cookies are brought to you by OXO as part of their Cookies for Kid’s Cancer campaign. I received OXO products in exchange for my time, and a donation is being made to Cookies for Kid’s Cancer.
Why I love these almond crescent cookie recipe
This recipe for almond crescents – which are also known as vanillekipferl in Germany – comes from Dorie Greenspan’s newest cookbook, Dorie’s Cookies. They remind me a little of favorite pecan snowball cookies, both in flavor and ingredients, except that signature almond flavor. I just can’t get enough of it.
In fact, these cookies are the reason I learned how to make almond flour the other day. If you’re wondering about almond flour, or debating if it’s worth making your own, be sure to check out that post.
If you like this recipe, you have to try these soft sugar cookies, and these fruitcake cookies and these soft pumpkin cookies.
Searching for more dairy free desserts? birthday cookies / lemon cookies / chocolate banana muffins / chocolate peanut butter banana milkshake / blueberry crumble pie / vegan banana pudding
Ingredients & substitutions
- Almond extract – I know a lot of people don’t love the flavor of almond extract. If you don’t, feel free to substitute some vanilla or use a lesser amount.
- Vegetable shortening – You can vegan butter or traditional butter if you don’t need to be dairy free.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to make almond crescent cookies
Mise en place. Preheat your oven to 350˚F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper an measure all of your ingredients out before getting started. If you need to make almond flour, do that now.
Make the dough. Start by beating the shortening or butter with sugar and salt with an electric mixer until it’s light and fluffy. Then, beat in the almond and vanilla extracts.
Next, add the flour and slowly mix until it’s incorporated. Then, mix in the almond flour until a dough forms.
Shape the crescents. Using a cookie scoop, portion the dough and use your hands to roll them into 4-inch long ropes. Then turn them into crescent shapes and place onto your prepared baking sheet.
Bake the cookies. Pop the almond crescents into the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cookies set but still pale.
You can bake more than one sheet at a time, but be sure to swap their racks about halfway through to ensure they cook evenly.
Remove them from the oven and gently transfer them to a cooling rack.
Dust with sugar. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes, then sprinkle the cookies with a heavy dusting of powdered sugar.
Depending on how sweet you like them, you may even want to come back later and do a second coat after the cookies have completely cooled.
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable shortening - or vegan butter
- ½ cup 100 grams sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon pure almond extract - to taste
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour - 238 grams
- 1⅓ cups almond flour - 133 grams
- Powdered sugar - for coating
Instructions
- Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat it to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Working with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and salt together on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and the almond extract, if you’re using it, then scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. With the machine off, add the all-purpose flour all at once and then pulse the mixer to start blending. Mix on low speed until the flour is almost incorporated, then add the almond flour and mix only until it disappears into the mixture and the dough comes together.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop out walnut-size nuggets of dough or use a tablespoon. Work each piece into a compact ball between your palms and then roll it on the counter into a rope about 4 inches long. Bend the rope into a crescent, pinch the ends lightly and place on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the crescents.
- Bake for 19 to 21 minutes, rotating the sheets top to bottom and front to back after 10 minutes, or until the cookies are golden at their tips, pale everywhere else and set, but too fragile to lift without breaking. Transfer the baking sheets to racks and let the cookies rest for 5 minutes before you give them the sugar treatment.
- Put the sugar in a small bowl and, one by one, dredge the cookies in sugar to coat and place on racks to cool.
