Pecan Crescent Cookies

Pecan crescent cookies are a staple on Christmas cookie trays. That iconic crescent shape and confectioners’ sugar coating is a nostalgic sight for anyone who grew up baking, eating or exchanging traditional Christmas cookies. Our recipe makes a perfect batch: They’re crispy yet melt in your mouth, and crunchy from all the pecans. It’s a textural treat packed with butter-pecan flavor.

Pecan crescents are made with only six fairly inexpensive ingredients, and they’re so simple and fast to make. It’s a really nice change of pace when you’re making about five other elaborate Christmas cookie recipes. Plus, they fill up the tray nicely!

Ingredients for Pecan Crescent Cookies

• Butter: Soften the butter enough that you can press a finger into the middle. It shouldn’t be so soft, though, that the edges start to melt. Take the butter out of the fridge about an hour before baking (I usually do this 30 minutes ahead in the summer and 60 minutes ahead in the winter).
• Sugar: Granulated sugar is best when it comes to achieving that crisp-yet-light cookie texture.
• Vanilla extract: During the holiday season, I like to splurge on the best vanilla extract if I can. When a recipe has so few ingredients as these cookies do, buying quality ingredients makes all the difference.
• All-purpose flour: Since the texture of these cookies is such an important part of their integrity, be sure you measure the flour properly so you don’t accidentally pack too much into the measuring cup.
• Pecans: Finely chop the pecans so there aren’t big, awkward pieces in the cookies. You can also use a food processor for this. I love to toast the nuts to bring out their nuttiness and sweetness a bit more. Just be sure to let them cool completely before adding them to the dough!
• Confectioners’ sugar: These cookies will require a good amount of confectioners’ sugar. You really can’t overdo it, but you can definitely under-dust them, so err on the side of caution and buy a whole bag.

Directions

Step 1: Make the dough

Preheat the oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla extract until they’re light and fluffy.

Gradually beat in the all-purpose flour, then switch to a rubber spatula and stir in the finely chopped pecans.

Step 2: Shape into crescents

Portion the cookie dough by the rounded tablespoonful. Shape the dough into 2-1/2-inch logs, then form them into crescents.

Place the crescents 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Step 3: Bake the cookies

Bake the cookies for 20 to 22 minutes or until they’re set and the bottoms are lightly browned. Let the cookies stand on the baking sheets for two to three minutes to finish setting up. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely to room temperature.

Step 4: Finish with confectioners’ sugar

Liberally and lavishly dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Recipe Variations

• Try different nuts: Not a fan of pecans? You really can use any type of nut here, like walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, pistachios or hazelnuts.
• Dip them in chocolate: Instead of covering the cookies in confectioners’ sugar, dunk them or half-dip them in melted chocolate. You can even take things a step further and, before the chocolate sets, decorate the cookies with Christmas sprinkles.
• Add other mix-ins: Along with the pecans, try adding baking spices like cinnamon or nutmeg, scratching in orange zest or folding in dried cranberries. Even mini chocolate chips would be a great idea in these cookies!

How to Store Pecan Crescent Cookies

Store pecan crescent cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. The cookies may absorb the confectioners’ sugar as the days go on, so if you’re not serving these cookies for a few more days, hold off on dusting them until the last minute.

Can you freeze pecan crescent cookies?

Yes, you can freeze pecan crescent cookies before or after they’re baked. To freeze cookies after baking, first allow them to cool to room temperature, and skip the confectioners’ sugar for now. Transfer the cookies to an airtight container, layering them with pieces of parchment or waxed paper so they don’t stick together. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, let them thaw completely to room temperature, dust them with confectioners’ sugar and enjoy.

To freeze the cookie dough, fully assemble the dough and shape it into crescents. Line the crescents on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them, uncovered, for 60 minutes. Transfer the frozen cookie dough crescents to a zip-top bag and freeze them for up to three months. When you’re ready to bake the cookies, arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake them as directed, adding a few minutes if needed.

Pecan Crescent Cookies Tips

Are pecan crescent cookies chewy or crispy?

Pecan crescent cookies are crispy, but they’re also lightweight and instantly melt in your mouth. If you’ve ever had a Mexican wedding cookie or Russian tea cake, it’s the same texture!

Do you have to include the nuts?

No, you don’t have to include the nuts, but know that the cookies do get most of their flavor from the nuts, so they’ll be a little blander. You can try to make up for the lost flavor by adding a dash of butter extract or almond extract. Not too much, though, as these extracts are very potent and concentrated—much more so than vanilla extract.

Can you roll pecan crescent cookies into different shapes?

Yes, you can roll pecan crescent rolls into other shapes. Try simple shapes like logs or balls, or even roll them up like rugelach. Just make sure to keep the pieces small and evenly sized so they bake consistently.