Almond Crescents

Almond Crescents
from the kitchen of Oriana Montani

There are always a big hit when I make them. Don't forget to really pile the powered sugar on at the end while they're still a little warm.


1 1/4 cups almonds unblanched
1 cup butter (2 sticks) - room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sifted flour
powder sugar for dusting

Grind almonds fine (but not to a paste) in processor
Cream butter and sugar together
Stir in ground almonds, vanilla, salt and flour
Chill dough until firm

Set oven at 350 degrees.
Lightly grease baking sheets.
Break off walnut size pieces of dough. roll pieces into sticks 1/2 inch thick.
Bend stick into crescent shapes.
Place on prepared baking sheets leaving space between crescents

Bake 15 minutes until crescents are dry but not brown.
Cool slightly. Roll each cookie in powder sugar.
Makes 36 cookies