Cocoa Crescents
2 cups unsalted butter, very soft
1 cup powdered sugar
½
cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted
½
teaspoon salt
2 cups pecans, toasted and finely chopped (see note)
Garnish
2½
cups powdered sugar
Red and/green decorating sugar
For the dough: In large mixing bowl beat butter, powdered sugar and cocoa powder on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape bowl well. Add vanilla extract, mix 10 seconds on low and increase speed to high. Beat 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Set aside.
In medium bowl, whisk flour, salt and pecans until evenly combined. Add to creamed mixture and mix on low speed until all flour is absorbed. Scrape bowl well and complete mixing by hand.
Divide dough into 2 flattened balls and wrap in plastic. Chill 6 hours or overnight.
To shape and bake: Scoop dough into 1-inch balls. With lightly floured palms, quickly roll balls into 2½
- to 3-inch logs. Dough will be soft. Place 11/2 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Before chilling, bend each log into crescent shape. Alternatively, keep dough in ball shapes for cocoa snowballs. Freeze cookies on pan for 15 minutes or chill in refrigerator 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Take cookie pan directly from freezer to oven. Bake 20-23 minutes until cookies appear set and you smell the cocoa aroma.
To decorate: Pour 2½
cups powdered sugar into large shallow bowl; add colored sugar if desired. Immediately after baking, gently roll cookies in powdered sugar, completely coating. Cool 15-20 minutes on rack and roll again in powdered sugar to create final coating. Cookies keep up to 2 weeks at room temperature, tightly covered.
Makes 61/2 dozen.
Baker's hint: For melt-in-your-mouth texture, pulse pecans in food processor until finely ground or just until nuts begin to come together. Do not over process.
@Recipe nutrition:Nutrition values per serving: 102 calories, 7g fat (3 g saturated), 10 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein, 13 mg cholesterol, 15 mg sodium.