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2. Almond Crescent Christmas Cookies

Also known as "snowballs" or "Russian tea cakes," these melt-in-your-mouth cookies are as elegant as they are easy! Rolled in powdered sugar while still warm, they look like little snow-dusted crescents without any fussy decorating. Plus, they taste incredible with that rich almond flavor and buttery texture.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 48 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar plus 2 cups for rolling
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup finely chopped almonds or almond flour

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar together until creamy. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
  3. Add the flour and salt, mixing on low speed until combined. Stir in the chopped almonds until evenly distributed.
  4. Take about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a small log, then shape into a crescent. Place on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
  5. Bake for 14-16 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden but the tops are still pale. Don't overbake—they should stay light in color!
  6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes until they're just cool enough to handle but still warm.
  7. Place the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar in a shallow bowl. Gently roll each warm cookie in the sugar to coat completely. Let cool completely, then roll in powdered sugar a second time for that beautiful snowy look.