It’s that time of year to pile on the calories with buttery and sugary treats!

Almond Crescents are one of three types of cookies that have graced our family holiday cookie tray for as long as I can remember. (The other two, which require decorating, have been reported on here. ) I never thought to ask my mother where she got the recipe from, unfortunately.

Shaping these into “just the right” shape and size is always the fun part, as there are various opinions on what is “right.” My mother typically rolled hers into small logs and more elongated crescent shapes, or sort of like eyebrows. I sort of half roll and half shape mine and flatten the bottoms more. Daughter M.E. says mine are too big and makes hers smaller. She is also the one who usually rolls the warm cookies in the powdered sugar. The rule is that any that break during the sugar rolling process can be eaten immediately. Though I maintain they taste better after soaking up some of the sugar and mellowing out a bit.

We usually double or at least one and a half the recipe to have more. We don’t let my husband too close to these because he eats too many all at once. I tend to hoard some of them to eat well into January. Though I have been known at least once to forget where I put my stash and find them again around Easter. (They were a bit stale but I still ate them, of course!)

These cookies are a take on other kinds of butter cookies or shortbread involving lots of butter and nuts and rolled in confectioners sugar, similar to Mexican Wedding Cookies, etc. You may have your own version. If not, try these, since they are delicious! Keep scrolling beyond the recipe to see a collage of us shaping and rolling over the years. This year we had help from our German friend Amelie. (Last year, our mutual friend Franca got her own cookie blog!) Have a wonderful, butter and sugary holiday everyone!

Almond Crescents

1 cup of butter

1/2 cup of confectioners sugar

2/3 cup ground almonds (sometimes I add more!)

2 1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt (I only put this in if the butter is not salted)

Sifted confectioners sugar to roll cookies in

Cream butter and sugar, add almonds and mix well. Add flour and mix (best done with your hands as it is hard to do with even the strongest wooden spoon). Form dough into small balls and refrigerate. Form dough into small crescent shapes and bake at 325 F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Roll in confectioners sugar while still warm. Store in airtight tin.