Bittersweet Chocolate Moons

These little crescent moons look like they came from a fancy European bakery, but they come together in a food processor in about 30 seconds.

Butter, walnuts, cocoa, flour, sugar, and vanilla all get blitzed into a dough, chilled, then shaped by hand into crescent moons.

Baked low and slow, they come out with a sandy, melt-on-your-tongue texture and a deep, bittersweet cocoa flavor that isn’t cloyingly sweet.

Dust them with powdered sugar and they look like something you’d see on a holiday cookie platter in Vienna.

Kitchen Tips

• Chill the dough the full hour. Warm dough won’t hold the crescent shape in the oven.
• Roll each ball between your palms first, then gently curve the ends to form the crescent. Don’t overthink it; imperfect moons have more charm.
• These are lightly sweetened on purpose. If you want more sweetness, roll them in powdered sugar while still warm.
• Store in a single layer in a tin. They’re delicate and will crumble if stacked carelessly.