Cardamom-Walnut Crescents
Updated May 2, 2024
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Cook Time
- 18 to 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ¼cup sugar
- 1cup all-purpose flour
- ¾cup walnuts halves
- ¼pound unsalted butter, chilled and cut in to ½-inch pieces
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½teaspoon grated orange zest
- ⅛teaspoon salt
- ⅓cup sugar
- ¼vanilla bean
For the Dough
For the Vanilla Sugar
Nutritional analysis per serving (24 servings)
97 calories; 6 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 13 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
For the Dough
- Step 1
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all dough ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until the dough resembles coarse meal. Then process continuously until it begins to gather together.
- Step 2
Roll 2 teaspoons dough at a time into half moon shapes. Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet, 1 inch apart. Bake until firm to touch, about 18 to 20 minutes.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, combine the vanilla sugar ingredients in a food processor until the vanilla bean is pulverized.
- Step 4
When cookies are done, let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack. Sift the vanilla sugar over them immediately. Continue cooling for 15 minutes. The cookies may be stored in an airtight container up to 5 days.
Private Notes
Comments
I covered the dough w/plastic wrap to make a log, then refrigerated over night. It was so easy to cut 1/4" slice then cut it in half again, using my fingers to push the dough into an EXAGGERATED crescent shape---mine looked like slightly curved slugs with only a slight crescent. The texture is almost ethereal. For the 8/2017 (partial) eclipse, I painted the interior crescent side with melted chocolate chips. The cardamom/orange flavor held up against the chocolate---yummy!
It is absolutely crucial to chill the dough before & after shaping and most importantly, let the cookies cool in the pan for at least the 5 mins recommended. I think that's why other bakers complained about the crumbling. I did use all the zest from a large orange & about a scant teaspoon of cardamom. The taste is lovely.
These are easy, delicious and ethereally light. I used freshly ground green cardamom seeds to amp up the flavor. Jarred ground cardamom is a pale shadow of fresh. Next time I might skip the vanilla sugar topping to get an even less sweet result.
I followed the recipe exactly other than making them too big so I only ended up with 12 cookies and I wasn’t able to get a vanilla bean quickly so just sprinkled regular sugar over the top when they came out of the oven and they were so good - a cross between shortbread and a Mexican wedding cookie. My husband absolutely loves them! Also, my crescent shape came out great! Maybe I’ll try to make them smaller next time. Probably won’t bother seeking out the vanilla bean.
@Heather commenting on my own for an update now that I’ve made these 3x in the last month or so. Even though I loved original recipe I decided to up the orange zest and cardamom like all the commenters suggested. However, I definitely prefer the original recipe proportions. By following the recipe, the spices are subtle and delicate and also allow the beautiful butter flavor to come through as well. It’s perfection! When I doubled the zest and cardamom, it didn’t work as well for me. (…but I have to admit I still skip the vanilla bean step and I just sprinkle sugar on top when it comes out of the oven. I guess I’m guilty of changing the recipe too! lol!)
@melisa I am a terrible cook/baker. Loved your honest review and will attempt making these. Thought about having my own cooking show. A comedy for sure.
These are wonderful. They got rave reviews.