Orange almond shortbread crescent cookies are the perfect melt-in-your-mouth sweet treat. They are made with almond flour and scented with orange zest and orange blossom water.

The hardest part of making these cookies is shaping them into crescents, but it is much easier than it sounds. All you have to do is divide the dough into ½ tablespoon size pieces. Roll in a ball then into a 2-inch log. Gently shape into a half-moon/crescent shape, using your fingertips to taper the ends. If you don’t want to make crescents, just roll them into balls and bake.

Reasons to Love These Orange Almond Crescents

• buttery, light and crisp texture
• fragrant flavour from orange zest and orange blossom water
• the cookie dough comes together quickly with just a few basic ingredients
• no fancy decorations, just a final dusting of powdered sugar
• these cookies store well

Important Steps to Follow

• Sift the dry ingredients 
• Add flavour – orange zest and orange blossom water
• Don’t over mix
• Chill the dough
• Dust cookies with powdered sugar while still warm

Make a big batch of these simple elegant buttery nutty cookies. They are very more-ish.

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Orange Almond Shortbread Crescents

Enjoy these simple elegant cookies. Make a big batch!

Course Dessert

Ingredients

• 250 g (9 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 60 g (½ cup) icing/confectioners sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp orange zest, finely grated
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp orange blossom water or brandy
• 55 g (½ cup) finely ground almonds
• 40 g (¼ cup) almonds, toasted and chopped
• 310 g (2 ½) cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 60 g (½ cup) icing/confectioners sugar, sifted

Instructions

• Cream butter, sugar and orange zest in a medium bowl with a hand mixer until pale and fluffy.
• Add egg yolk and orange water and beat until thoroughly combined.
• Fold in ground and chopped almonds, flour and baking powder with a spatula and mix until well combined.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to chill.
• Preheat oven to 315°F.
• Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
• Remove dough from refrigerator and shape ½ tablespoons of the dough into crescents, using lightly floured hands.
• Place on prepared baking trays and bake form 12-15 minutes or until pale golden.
• Cool on the baking trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• While the cookies are still warm, dust with sifted icing sugar.
• Just before serving dredge heavily again with sifted icing sugar.
• Store in an airtight container.