Moroccan Almond Crescent Cookies Recipes

MOROCCAN SEMOLINA AND ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Position racks to divide the oven into thirds, and heat it to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, whisk together semolina, almond flour, baking powder and salt.
• Put sugar in bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl in which you can use a hand mixer. Finely grate lemon zest over sugar, then rub them together with your fingertips until sugar is moist and fragrant. Add eggs and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. With mixer running, pour oil down side of the bowl and beat for another 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla and orange blossom water, if using. Turn off mixer, add half the dry ingredients and mix them in on low speed, then add the rest, mixing only until dry ingredients disappear into the dough, which will be thick.
• Sift some confectioners' sugar into a small bowl. For each cookie, spoon out a level tablespoon of dough, roll it between your palms to form a ball and dredge in sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets, then use your thumb to push down the center of each cookie, pressing firmly enough to make an indentation and to cause the edges to crack.
• Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, rotating pans top to bottom and front to back after 8 minutes, or until cookies are ever so lightly colored: They will be golden on the bottom, puffed, dramatically cracked and just firm to the touch. Carefully lift the cookies off sheets and onto racks. Cookies will keep for about 4 days in a covered container at room temperature.

ALMOND CRESCENT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Beat butter and confectioners' sugar in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt; mix briefly to incorporate. Gradually stir 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour into the creamed butter, add almonds, and mix until dough is just combined.
• Shape dough into tiny crescents; place on an ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
• Bake cookies in preheated oven until edges are golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Roll cookies in sifted confectioners' sugar when cooled.

MOROCCAN ALMOND CRESCENT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, almonds, sugar, honey, almond extract, egg, cinnamon and nutmeg. Gradually add in the flour to form a dough (knead with clean hands if necessary-it can be sticky). Refrigerate dough for about 10 minutes, or until it is slightly firm.
• Pour seeds into a small bowl. Pinch off a walnut sized ball of dough and roll it in the sesame seeds to coat. Then, take the ball and roll it between your palms into about 2 in long pieces, tapering the ends .
• Place side by side on a cookie sheet , curving them into crescent shapes. Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown, being careful not to burn.

SESAME ALMOND CRESCENT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Put ground nuts, sugar, 1 cup flour, almond extract, egg, cinnamon, and butter in mixing bowl and mix well.
• KNEAD mixture into a dough (it will be slightly sticky).
• Pour seeds into pie pan.
• Pinch off walnut size pieces of dough (IF dough is too sticky or difficult to handle add the remaining flour).
• Roll dough pieces in seeds to coat, and then, between the palms of your hands, roll pieces into about 2 inch long cylindrical shapes, thicker in the middle, tapering at the ends.
• Place side by side onto lightly greased cookie sheet, curving slightly into crescents.
• Bake in oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. I would start checking after 15 minutes as 30 seems too long but that is what it says.