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Pecan Crescent Cookies

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This recipe was handed down to me by my grandmother, aka Babi. To say that it’s a classic staple in our cookie boxes every Christmas is an understatement. This recipe is one of the simplest I’ve ever made–it can literally be done with just a bowl and wooden spoon. And yet these cookies are so melt-in-your-mouth delicious you’d think they’re some fancy confection. But the simplicity of it all is the best part. Babi’s secret to making these pecan cookies so fantastic was to painstakingly shape the dough into crescent moons and roll them in confectioner’s sugar twice–once while they’re still warm and once when they’ve cooled. We haven’t changed a thing from her original version of the recipe.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb. (4 sticks) Unsalted Butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup Confectioner’s Sugar, plus 1 cup for rolling
  • 4 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 2 T Water
  • 3 ½ cups Sifted All Purpose Flour
  • 1 ½ cups Chopped Pecans (fine or coarse, depending on how crunchy you want the cookies to be. I like them very finely chopped, almost ground, so the cookies have a lighter texture)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350º and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats
  2. In a large bowl, whisk butter and ½ cup sugar together until light and fluffy.
  3. Add vanilla and water and whisk until combined.
  4. Using a wooden spoon, fold in flour and pecans until just combined.
  5. Refrigerate dough at least two hours. It should be firm but malleable.
  6. Using a cookie scoop, portion out dough onto cookie sheets. Carefully (as these are prone to breakage) shape them into crescent moons by rolling them into slightly cylindrical shapes between your palms and pinching one side of the with your thumbs, then rounding the edges.
  7. Bake 20 minutes until edges just start to turn golden brown.
  8. Roll in confectioner’s sugar right after removing from oven. Let cool on racks.
  9. When cooled, dust cookies with more sugar using a fine mesh sieve.

Find it online: https://www.flourandco.com/pecan-crescent-cookies/