The following recipe is from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook, by Jennifer Appel and Allysa Torey, Simon & Schuster, 1999. These chefs and cookbook authors, opened the Magnolia Bakery in the West Village in New York City in 1996. Their cakes, cookies, desserts, and even the bakery itself, reflect the old-fashioned American way of the 1950's.

almond crescent cookies

yield: about 4 1/2 dozen cookies

ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup finely ground almonds
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350°

In a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, the almond extract, and the ground almonds and mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Slowly mix in the flour. Make a ball with the dough and roll small pieces of the dough into ovals, then form crescents. Place onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Bake 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.

Cool the cookies on the sheet for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely. When cooled, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

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