Pecan Crescents

Tender enough to dissolve on your tongue, these pecan crescents belong to the same beloved family as Mexican wedding cookies and Russian tea cakes, buttery, nutty little shortbreads dusted in powdered sugar.

The secret to that famous melt-in-your-mouth crumb is cornstarch worked into the flour. It reduces the gluten so the cookies bake up exceptionally short and crumbly rather than firm. Finely chopped pecans and a touch of fresh nutmeg fold right into the buttery dough.

The recipe simply says mix and bake, so a few pointers help. Shape the dough into small crescents, and bake them gently, just until set and barely golden at the edges, since they should stay pale and tender, not browned.

While they are still warm, roll them in powdered sugar for that signature snowy coating, then give them a second dusting once cool for good measure.

Pro Tips

• If the dough is too soft to shape, chill it for 20 to 30 minutes. A melted-butter dough firms right up in the fridge.
• Bake just until set and pale. Over-browning ruins the delicate, melt-in-mouth texture these are known for.
• Roll them in powdered sugar while warm, then again once cool, for a thick coating that will not soak in.

Variations

• Swap the pecans for walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts.
• Add a little cinnamon alongside the nutmeg, or a splash of almond extract.
• Shape the dough into balls instead of crescents for classic snowball cookies.