Viennese Crescent Holiday Cookies Recipes

VIENNESE ALMOND CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
• In small bowl, mix flour, almond meal and salt, stirring well with wire whisk. In large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until blended. Refrigerate 10 minutes.
• Shape dough into 40 (2-inch) logs; bend logs to form crescent shape. Place crescents 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks; sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar.

VANILLEKIPFERL (AUSTRIAN VANILLA CRESCENT COOKIES)

Steps:

• Place all of the ingredients in a large bowl and knead until thoroughly combined. Unless you're using the egg yolks the dough will be pretty dry and flaky, like shortbread cookie dough. Shape the dough into a log and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut off small pieces of the dough and shape them into crescents. Place the crescents onto a non-stick or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake on the middle rack for 12-15 minutes (depending on the size of the crescents) or until the edges begin to turn golden.
• Combine the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar. Let the cookies sit for one minute and then use a sifter to dust them with the vanilla-powdered sugar while they're still hot. Let the cookies cool completely and then give them a second dusting.
• Stored in an airtight container in a cool place, these cookies will keep for several weeks.

ALMOND CRESCENT COOKIES

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350° In a large bowl beat butter until fluffy, add sugar and beat again until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add nuts, flour ** (add 2 cups to start and 1 tablespoon at a time (up to 8 tablespoons if needed See Note Above!) ) and salt. Beat on low until combined.
• Bring dough together with your fingers. Break off small pieces and form into a crescent shape. Place on un-greased cookie sheets and bake for approximately 15 minutes . While cookies are still warm roll in icing/powdered sugar or let cool and dust with icing sugar. Enjoy!

VIENNESE CRESCENT COOKIES

Steps:

• In an airtight container, combine the confectioners' sugar and vanilla bean and let stand, covered, for at least 24 hours. Sift before using. (The vanilla sugar will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to several months.)
• In a food processor or high-powered blender, pulse together the flour, 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, salt, and hazelnuts until the nuts are finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add the butter and pulse just until a dough forms. If the dough is crumbly, you may need to pulse it a little longer until it forms a dough. Turn the dough onto your work surface and gently form it into a ball and then flatten it into a disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap or wax paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven.
• Roll level tablespoons of dough (about 18 grams) into balls. Then roll each ball on a smooth surface into a 3-inch log with slightly tapered ends. Bend each log to form crescents and arrange them about 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
• Bake the cookies until the edges are pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 2 minutes.
• Sift enough vanilla confectioners' sugar onto a rimmed baking sheet to cover the bottom.
• Carefully transfer the slightly cooled baked crescent cookies to the sugared baking sheet and sprinkle with enough sugar to coat completely. Move the crescents to wire racks to cool completely. (The cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax or parchment paper, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.)

VIENNESE CRESCENT HOLIDAY COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, butter, nuts, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, salt, and vanilla. Hand mix until thoroughly blended. Shape dough into a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, place sugar in a bowl or small container. With sharp chef's knife, split vanilla bean lengthwise. Scrape out seeds, and mix them into the sugar. Cut pod into 2 inch pieces and mix into sugar.
• Remove dough from refrigerator and form into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball into a small roll, 3 inches long. Place rolls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet, and bend each one to make a crescent shape.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until set but not brown.
• Let stand 1 minute, then remove from cookie sheets. Place hot cookies on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Sprinkle with prepared sugar mixture. Turn gently to coat on both sides. Cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Just before serving, coat with more vanilla flavored sugar.

VIENNESE CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Cream the butter and add the sugar and vanilla and beat to fluffy. Add the flour and nuts and mix in. Chill the dough for at least one hour. The more it's chilled the less it spreads during baking.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Shape the dough into tiny crescents using 1 teaspoon of dough for each cookie. Place them on an ungreased sheet pan in rows, leaving 1 inch in between for spreading and bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Let cool 5 minutes. Dredge them in confectioners' sugar.

VIENNESE CRESCENT COOKIES

Steps:

• in a mixing bowl, combine flour, butter, nuts, confectioners' sugar, salt, and vanilla. hand mix until roughly blended.
• shape dough into a ball, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• remove dough from fridge and form into 1 inch balls. shape each ball into a small log, about 3 inches long. place rolls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet, curving each one into a crescent.
• bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are set but not brown.
• let sit 1 minute, then remove from cookie sheet. place cookies on aluminum foil, then dust with 1 cup of sugar.
• store in an airtight container, then dust with remaining sugar just before serving.

VIENNESE COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Combine flour and ground almonds; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. , Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/4-in. round cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 7-9 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Spread jam on the bottoms of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip half of each sandwich cookie into chocolate mixture; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper until set. Store in an airtight container.

PATRICIA'S VIENNESE CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Using a small, sharp knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a small bowl. Discard the pod. Add 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar and use a mortar or the back of a spoon to pound and mix them together. Add the remaining confectioners' sugar and stir to combine. Cover and let stand at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Vanilla sugar can be made ahead and stored, in an airtight container at room temperature, indefinitely.
• Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and a second rack in the lower third then preheat to 350°F.
• Using a food processor, grind the walnuts into a chunky paste then transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and sugar and beat on medium speed, scraping the bowl occasionally, until completely incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add the flour in 3 batches and stir until a smooth dough forms, about 2 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, shape heaping tablespoons of dough into 3- to 4-inch-long ropes, tapering the ends. Curve each rope into a crescent shape. Transfer to a baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Bake, switching the cookies between the upper and lower racks about halfway through baking, until light golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Let the cookies cool 2 to 3 minutes then carefully roll them in vanilla sugar and place on racks to cool completely. Continue baking cookies on cooled baking sheets. DO AHEAD: The cookies can be baked ahead and stored, in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 3 days.

VIENNESE CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Chop vanilla bean. Pound it in a mortar or pulverize it in an electric blender with about one tablespoon of the confectioner's sugar. Mix with the remaining confectioners' sugar. Cover and let stand, preferably overnight. Reserve while cookies are baked.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut walnuts with a sharp knife into very small pieces. Pound the pieces to a paste, using mortar and pestle.
• With a wooden spoon or the fingers, mix walnuts, butter, granulated sugar and flour to a smooth dough. Shape dough, about a teaspoon at a time, into small crescents about one and a half inches in diameter.
• Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet until lightly browned, or 15 to 18 minutes. Cool one minute. While still warm, roll cookies in prepared vanilla sugar.

PECAN CRESCENT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour. Stir in pecans., Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 2-1/2-in. logs and shape into crescents. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. , Bake at 325° for 20-22 minutes or until set and bottoms are lightly browned. Let stand for 2-3 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

VIENNA CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees Farenheit.
• Grind the nuts (A mouli grater works quickly and easily).
• Work butter and sugar in a bowl until creamy.
• Add flour, salt, vanilla and nuts; mix until well blended.
• Using your hands, take ball of dough the size of a medium orange, and work it on the counter using both hands, rolling it until it looks like a rope, almost ½ inch thick. I have never chilled the dough, but you might chill it if you find it easier for handling it.
• Cut into three-inch lengths.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet, either on foil or parchment paper, curving them into "C" shapes about one inch apart, and bake 18 to 20 minutes.
• Cool crescents until cool enough to handle, and roll in confectioner's sugar, pressing gently so as not to break them, until completely covered.
• Makes about 6 dozen cookies.
• TOASTING HAZELNUTS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place hazelnuts in single layer on cookie sheet and toast until the skins begin to split, about 10 minutes. Rub the warm nuts vigorously with a clean kitchen towel to remove the skins. Return nuts to the pan and toast until fragrant and golden brown, about 2 - 3 minutes more. (Remember to turn oven down for the cookies.).

VIENNESE CRESCENTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Beat the butter on medium speed of mixer until lightened in color and creamy.
• Sift 3/4 cup powdered sugar over the butter and beat until well combined.
• Stir in vanilla and nuts.
• Graduallly sift flour over the top while stirring.
• Knead until well blended.
• Pull off generous 1-tablespoon pieces of doug, roll with your hands into a short rope and shape into crescents.
• NOTE: If the dough is soft and difficult to handle, refrigerate until slightly firm.
• Space 1 1/4 inches apart on greased cookie sheets.
• Bake 1 sheet at a time until the crescents are tinged with brown and slightly darker at the edges, 13 to 16 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking for even browning.
• Remove the sheet to a cooling rack and let stand until the cookies firm slightly.
• Transfer the cookies to racks and cool completely. Sift 2/3 cup of powdered sugar over cookies (entire batch) until evenly coated.