These Old-Fashioned Pecan Crescent Cookies come from a handwritten recipe card for classic crescent cookies—the buttery, nutty kind shaped by hand and baked slowly at 325°F.
The original card calls for 2 cups of ground nuts. I'm using 2 cups of raw pecans and making the entire dough in a food processor, almost like pie dough.
You can finish them the traditional way with powdered sugar while they're still warm, or dip them in melted chocolate and add sprinkles or finely chopped pecans. I especially like the chocolate version for Christmas cookie trays.
Try These Next
If you like old-fashioned cookies like this, try my Malted Milk Snickerdoodles or Grandma's Potato Chip Cookies.
For another delicate holiday cookie, my Italian Wedding Cookies are another good option.
Why You'll Love These Cookies
- Food-processor method. The nuts and entire dough come together in one work bowl.
- Classic pecan flavor. Raw pecans are ground directly into the dough.
- Pie-dough-style texture. Cold butter is pulsed into the dry ingredients before the liquid goes in.
- Two finishing options. Roll them in powdered sugar or dip them in chocolate.
- Perfect for Christmas. The crescent shape looks right at home on a holiday cookie tray.
Ingredients
Pecan Crescent Cookies
- 1 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups raw pecans
For Finishing
- Powdered sugar
- OR
- Melted chocolate
- Sprinkles or finely chopped pecans
Ingredient Notes
Pecans
Use raw, unsalted pecans. The food processor grinds them finely before the rest of the dough is mixed.
Pulse just until the pecans are finely ground. If you run the processor too long, they can release their oils and begin turning into pecan butter.
Butter
Use cold butter cut into small cubes. Pulsing the butter into the flour mixture gives this method the same feel as making pie dough.
Water
The tablespoon of water helps the crumbly mixture come together. Stop processing once the dough starts forming moist clumps.
Equipment
- Food processor
- Baking sheets
- Sifter or fine-mesh sieve
- Double boiler or microwave-safe bowl (optional, for the chocolate finish)
Tools I Use for This Recipe
Yupik Raw Pecan Halves, 2.2 lb
A suggested raw pecan option to grind directly in the food processor for the dough.
Merckens Milk Chocolate Melting Wafers, 8 oz
A suggested easy-melting option for the alternative chocolate-dipped finish.
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How to Make Pecan Crescent Cookies
1. Grind the Pecans
Add the pecans to the food processor and pulse until they are finely ground. Stop before they become oily or paste-like.
2. Add the Dry Ingredients
Add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Pulse several times to combine everything evenly.
3. Cut in the Butter
Add the cold cubed butter. Pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, similar to pie dough.
4. Add the Vanilla and Water
Add the vanilla and water. Pulse just until the dough begins forming moist clumps and holds together when pressed. Do not keep processing after the dough comes together.
5. Shape the Crescents
Take portions of dough about the size of a walnut. Roll each piece into a short rope and gently curve the ends toward each other to make a crescent.
Keep the crescents similar in thickness so they bake evenly.
6. Bake
Bake at 325°F for 20 minutes. Keep the slower oven temperature from the original recipe rather than increasing the heat.
7. Finish the Cookies
For the classic version, gently roll the cookies in powdered sugar while they are still warm.
For the chocolate version, let the cookies cool, dip part of each crescent into melted chocolate, and add sprinkles or finely chopped pecans before the chocolate sets.
Expert Tips
Pulse instead of running the processor continuously. Short pulses give you more control over both the pecans and the finished dough.
Stop as soon as the dough clumps. Overprocessing can warm the butter and make the dough greasy.
Be gentle after baking. These cookies are delicate, especially around the crescent tips.
Don't make the ends too thin. Thin tips can brown faster than the rest of the cookie.
Finish with powdered sugar while warm. It sticks better than it does after the cookies cool completely.
Storage
Let the cookies cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. They should keep well at room temperature for several days.
If you dip them in chocolate, let the coating harden completely before stacking the cookies.
You Might Also Like
For more old-fashioned holiday baking, try my Vintage Sour Cream Cutout Cookies or Grandma's Forgotten Sweets.
Final Thoughts
I love recipes like this because they are simple and clearly meant to be passed around and made again.
Using pecans and the food processor keeps the handwritten recipe's ground-nut foundation while turning the whole dough into a straightforward pie-dough-style process.
Make them with powdered sugar for the classic version, or use chocolate and sprinkles for a more festive finish.
The Original Handwritten Recipe Card
This is the original handwritten card behind these pecan crescent cookies. Its ground-nut formula is the foundation for the food-processor method used here.
BAKE THIS NEXT
Old-Fashioned Pecan Crescent Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter cold and cut into cubes; 1/2 pound or 2 sticks
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups raw pecans unsalted; pulse finely in the food processor
- powdered sugar for coating warm cookies; choose this or the chocolate finish
- chocolate chips or melting wafers for melting and dipping
- sprinkles or finely chopped pecans for decorating the chocolate-dipped cookies
Equipment
- Sifter or fine-mesh sieve
- Double boiler optional, for the chocolate finish
Method
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Add the raw pecans to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Stop before the nuts become oily or paste-like.
- Add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Pulse several times to combine.
- Add the cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, similar to pie dough.
- Add the vanilla extract and water. Pulse just until the dough begins forming moist clumps and holds together when pressed. Do not overprocess.
- Take walnut-sized portions of dough, roll each into a short rope, and gently curve the ends inward to form a crescent. Arrange on baking sheets with space between the cookies.
- Bake at 325°F for 20 minutes.
- For the powdered sugar finish, gently roll the cookies in powdered sugar while still warm. Alternatively, cool the cookies, dip part of each one in melted chocolate, add sprinkles or finely chopped pecans, and place on wax paper until set.
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