Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Crescents)

My husband can't stop eating these cookies! Last year I made a similar version that didn't include nuts, but I love the crunch walnuts and almonds add to these festive half moons. I made 4 dozen to bring to a cookie exchange, and another 8 dozen to send to family and friends. They're easy and despite the generous dusting of powdered sugar, they're not too sweet. I based my recipe on one from Saveur magazine. I bet if you substituted almond extract for vanilla and used only almonds you'd get a very fragrant twist! Instead of cutting the log into 48 pieces, I took about 1 1/2 tbsp from the dough to form each crescent and made a few more than 4 dozen.

Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Crescents)

makes 4 dozen

1 cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for finishing cookies
16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 oz walnuts and almonds, finely ground in food processor
2 1/4 cups flour, more for rolling

Heat oven to 325 and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat together sugar, butter and vanilla in a bowl. Mix in nuts and flour. Flour and roll into a cylinder; divide into 48 pieces. Roll each into a sausage shape. Taper ends; bend into a crescent. transfer to baking sheets spacing 1" apart. Bake until lightly golden, 12-15 minutes. Sift with confectioner's sugar. Let cool and sift in sugar once more before storing or serving.