Every year, my husband would come home with this delicious tray of cookies from work. A male co-worker of his loved baking cookies, and would pass out plates piled high with cookies right before the holiday break. The first year, I picked cautiously at these cookies, not sure what tastes and ingredients I would find. Would they be dry? Would they be worth the calories?!
Well, I quickly found out that they were worth every calorie. All of them. Which is really dangerous. I mean, I wanted to eat this ENTIRE plate of cookies! I reigned myself in, and chose a few that I really, really loved. This peanut butter buckeye, which I never make, but absolutely love. A chocolate one, that was dreamy and delicious, and my absolute favorite, a crescent shaped cookie that surprised me every year with its unique flavor.
I begged my husband to get the recipe, but every year, he “forgot”, and I would be shamelessly searching the internet for something, anything, that could give me a hint at how to recreate delicious cookie. I mean, I didn’t even know what it was called. One year ago, I came across it.
A recipe.
They were called walnut crescents. I gave the recipe a tentative try. They were close, but not exactly what I tasted. I made a few tweaks and changes, and in no time, I was sinking my teeth into the most delicious cookie! I have no idea if this is even close to the recipe that my husband’s co-worker uses, but let me tell you, it doesn’t matter. This is a really, really good cookie.
Have I told you that I love cookie baking? I am the type that bakes 45,993,939 different types of cookies and then a few days before Christmas starts, I begin second guessing myself that I might not have enough and I bake up a few more. I am addicted. I have a problem. Instead of asking me to get help, just come over to eat some cookies.
Despite my cookie baking problem, if I had to choose one, it would be this one. Flaky layers of dough, sweet hearty filling, and the delicate tangy glaze all come together to make the best cookie.
I would definitely choose this one.
But please. Please never, ever make me choose one.
- DOUGH:
- 2 sticks cold, salted butter
- 2 cups flour
- 1 egg yolk (save the egg white)
- ¾ sour cream
- FILLING:
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ brown sugar
- ¾ cup finely ground walnuts
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- GLAZE:
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- To assemble the dough, use a food processor or pastry cutter to combine cold butter and flour
- Add in sour cream and egg yolk
- Pulse until a soft dough forms
- Squeeze together and form into a ball
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.
- To assemble the filling, combine sugars, walnuts and cinnamon in a bowl
- Set aside
- When dough is done being chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Remove dough from the fridge
- Divide into three equal parts
- Sprinkle your work surface with flour
- Roll out each section of dough into a 14 inch circle
- With a pastry brush, brush each circle with lightly beaten egg white
- Evenly sprinkle filling on each circle
- With a pizza cutter, cut into 12 wedges
- Starting at the thick end, carefully roll each wedge into a crescent shape
- Place on baking sheet, making sure to space apart
- Bake until golden brown, 23-28 minutes
- While baking, whisk together lemon juice, water and powdered sugar for glaze
- Remove cookies from oven and let cool on sheet for five minutes
- Transfer them to a cooling rack with parchment paper underneath.
- Brush them with glaze
- Let cool completely
What is your favorite holiday cookie?
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