These melt in your mouth pecan crescent cookies are buttery and crunchy cookies made with buttery dough and crunchy pecans.
These crescent-shaped cookies are a popular choice during the holiday season, but they can be enjoyed any time of the year.
The combination of the rich, nutty flavor from the pecans and the tender texture of the cookie makes them irresistible to cookie lovers.
These cookies are popular during festive seasons and are enjoyed as a sweet treat with a cup of tea or coffee.
Whether you're serving them at a party or enjoying them with a cup of tea, these cookies are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
For more cookie recipes check out my danish butter cookies, buckeyes cookies, double chocolate cookies, brown butter chocolate chunk cookies, oreo chocolate chip cookies, alfajores, and tiramisu cookies.
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Why this recipe works
- Texture- these cookies have a light and buttery texture that will melt in your mouth in every bite.
- Flavor- with a delicious pecan flavor, these cookies are buttery and sweet but not too sweet, and are the perfect cookie to dip in your coffee or hot drink!
- Ease and time- these cookies are a no chill recipe and come together in under an hour from start to finish and are made with a few simple ingredients.
- Freezer friendly- these are perfect for prepping ahead of time especially for the holidays and for Christmas cookie exchange. The instructions for freezing the baked cookies and cookie dough is below.
What are crescent cookies?
Crescent cookies, also known as butter crescents are delicate and buttery cookies that are typically shaped into a crescent moon.
These cookies have a rich and crumbly texture, often flavored with almond extract or ground almonds or pecans.
Crescent cookies are loved for their melt-in-your-mouth goodness and can be easily made at home using simple ingredients like butter, sugar, flour, and nuts.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. Only butter will work for this recipe, no margarine, and no coconut oil. Margarine has a weird taste and can ruin the flavor of these delicious cookies.
Flour– we used all-purpose flour for this recipe. cake flour will work great as well.
Sugar- we used granulated sugar for this recipe. You can use caster sugar as well.
Eggs- you will need 1 large egg for this recipe. Make sure that your egg is at room temperature.
Kosher salt- you will need about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
Chopped pecans- you will need to chop your pecans into fine pieces to allow the pecans to incorporate into the cookie dough nicely. Use unsalted toasted pecans for this.
Vanilla extract- adds extra flavor. You can use regular vanilla extract for this or use vanilla bean extract for a stronger vanilla flavor.
Powder sugar (for assembly)- you will need powder sugar for the topping. you don’t have to buy powdered sugar, you can simply make it at home by blending granulated sugar in a blender or food processor.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180c (350f) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, add the softened butter, vanilla extract, kosher salt, and sugar. Mix with an electric hand mixer until well combined and creamy.
Add the egg and mix until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
Add the flour and finely chopped pecans and mix until a dough forms. If your dough is too dry, add 1 teaspoon of milk.
Scoop 1 tablespoon of the cookie dough with a small cookie scoop and roll the dough into a small log using your clean hands, and then shape it into a little moon.
Place the cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 12 minutes or until the cookies are set. The cookies will look pale, don’t overbake them!
Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Sprinkle the cookies with powdered sugar, serve, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist cookies and not dense and dry cookies.
- Chop the nuts finely with a sharp knife to allow them to incorporate into the dough. If the pieces are too big, it will be hard to work with the dough.
- Make sure that your butter is at room temperature. An hour or two before making these cookies, take the butter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. The butter should be soft to the touch. If your butter is too cold, it will be harder to mix and there will be lumps of butter in the dough.
- Make these your own! Dip these cookies in your favorite melted chocolate like white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and top these with your favorite toppings like chopped nuts, shredded coconut, sprinkles, etc.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Line your sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat! This step helps the cookies to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cookies release easily from the pan.
Faq's
We used regular unsalted butter for this recipe. If you want to use salted butter in this recipe, simply skip the salt and make the recipe as written.
If you want a rich and extra delicious flavor, use European butter. It is higher in fat content and is super delicious.
We use all-purpose flour for this recipe, and cake flour will work great as well.
Yes! You can double or triple this recipe. There is an option to automatically double, half, or triple this recipe in the recipe card below!
Storing
Store these cookies at room temperature for up to a week. Store these in an airtight container so they won't dry out.
Freezing
Freezing these cookies is very easy. Bake these cookies according to the instructions, allow them to cool, cover them with a plastic wrap tightly (a few layers) transfer them into an airtight freezer-friendly container, and freeze it for up to 2 months.
Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for about an hour.
Make these ahead of time
You can make these cookies ahead of time by making the cookie dough a day or two ahead, storing it in the fridge in an airtight container, and when you are ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and follow the instructions as written.
Another way to make these cookies ahead of time is by freezing the dough in an airtight container (wrapped in a few layers of plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out).
When you are ready to use, thaw the dough at room temperature for 1-2 hours or in the fridge overnight and follow the rest of the instructions as written.
Substitutions
Dairy-free - If you are dairy-free, replace the butter with vegan butter or plant-based butter.
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
Variations
Nut- if you don’t have pecans or are allergic, make these with your favorite nuts like almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.
Chocolate- make these into chocolate cookies by swapping ¼ cup of flour with cocoa powder.
Candy- make these festive by dipping these cookies in melted chocolate and sprinkling chopped candy canes on top of the chocolate.
Sprinkles- top these with your favorite kind of sprinkles. They can be holiday-themed to make them festive!
Nuts- dip these in melted chocolate of your choice and sprinkle chopped nuts on top of the melted chocolate for an extra crunch and a beautiful look.
Chocolate- you can use your favorite type of chocolate for dipping! This can be dark chocolate, milk chocolate, white chocolate, semisweet chocolate, etc.
Zest- add ½ to 1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest to the cookie dough for a delicious flavor and aroma.
Extract- swap the vanilla extract with your favorite extracts like almond extract, peppermint extract, or lemon extract!
Equipment
- Baking sheet and rack set (our fave)
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- Electric hand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- Cookies scoop set of 3 (our favorite cookie scoops)
More butter cookie recipes
Homemade vanilla wafers- These homemade vanilla wafers are rich and buttery and can be enjoyed on their own or used as a versatile ingredient in various desserts like banana pudding.
Homemade Milano cookies- These Milano cookies are made with buttery and tender vanilla cookies and filled with a silky smooth chocolate ganache.
Chocolate dipped shortbread cookies- These chocolate dipped shortbread cookies are crispy, melt in your mouth deliciously, and are dipped in your favorite chocolate! These cookies are made with only 5 ingredients!
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to leave a rating and a comment below. We love hearing from you.
If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Easy Pecan Crescent Cookies (Melt In Your Mouth)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter softened, unsalted
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ cup Granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 Egg
- 2 ¾ cups Flour
- 1 ¼ cups Pecans Unsalted, toasted, finely chopped
- 1-2 tablespoon Powdered sugar for the top, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c (350f) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the softened butter, vanilla extract, kosher salt, and sugar. Mix with an electric hand mixer until well combined and creamy.
- Add the egg and mix until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
- Add the flour and finely chopped pecans and mix until a dough forms. If your dough is too dry, add 1 teaspoon of milk.
- Scoop 1 tablespoon of the cookie dough with a small cookie scoop and roll the dough into a small log using your clean hands, and then shape it into a little moon.
- Place the cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for 12 minutes or until the cookies are set. The cookies will look pale, don’t overbake them!
- Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Sprinkle the cookies with powdered sugar, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have moist cookies and not dense and dry cookies.
- Chop the nuts finely with a sharp knife to allow them to incorporate into the dough. If the pieces are too big, it will be hard to work with the dough.
- Make sure that your butter is at room temperature. An hour or two before making these cookies, take the butter out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. The butter should be soft to the touch. If your butter is too cold, it will be harder to mix and there will be lumps of butter in the dough.
- Make these your own! Dip these cookies in your favorite melted chocolate like white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and top these with your favorite toppings like chopped nuts, shredded coconut, sprinkles, etc.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with the back of a knife.
- Line your sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat! This step helps the cookies to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cookies release easily from the pan.
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