Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Yield: 4 dozen
Mandelsichel, traditional German almond cookies, are simple shortbread cookies enriched with almond meal and shaped into a crescent. These cookies are a delightful treat at tea time and a beautiful addition to any Plätzchenteller (cookie platter) during Advent and all through the Christmas and holiday season. Sometimes made on Christmas Eve, these cookies are left as a special treat for Santa Claus.
The key flavor in these cookies is from the almond meal. You can buy almond meal or flour at your local natural foods store or well-stocked grocery, or you can make your own. Optional almond extract enhances the flavor, and the cinnamon adds a nice complementary warming spice to the nutty almonds. Make bigger batches to give as gifts, or store in an airtight container for up to three weeks.
Ingredients
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3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
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1 cup butter, softened, room temperature
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional
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1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
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1/8 teaspoon salt
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1 cup blanched almonds, ground (or 1 cup almond meal)
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2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
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Powdered sugar, or granulated vanilla sugar, for dusting, garnish
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
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In a medium bowl, with the help of a hand whisk or standing mixer, cream the confectioners’ sugar and butter until the mixture is fluffy.
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Add the vanilla and the almond extract and cinnamon if using. Mix well.
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Add the salt. Combine thoroughly.
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With the help of a spatula, mix in the almond meal and flour.
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Using your hands, knead the mixture, which should be stiff and hard to work with.
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On a lightly floured board or other work surface and with a well-floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to about 1/2-inch thick.
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Cut a circle with a biscuit cutter or round glass.
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Move the glass or cutter over about 1 inch or more and cut another circle, which will result in 2 crescent shapes and an oval shape in the middle.
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Reuse the oval scraps, knead them, and roll out the dough again to cut more crescents or bake the ovals as they are if you'd prefer. Repeat the process until you've used all of the dough.
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Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
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Place the crescents on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes. The edges of the cookies should just be golden; keep an eye on the cookies as they brown fast and what you want is a pale and just-baked consistency through.
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Remove the cookies from the oven and, while still warm, dust them with confectioners' sugar or vanilla sugar and place them on a rack to cool completely. As they cool, the consistency and bite will change.
Tips
- When cutting out the cookies, try to keep them uniform in size so they will bake evenly.
- These cookies are perfect for a cookie exchange, bake sale for the holidays, or as a homemade food gift.
How to Store and Freeze
- These cookies will last in an airtight container or cookie tin for up to three weeks—if they don't get eaten first.
- Go ahead and freeze these cookies. Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and take them out a few at a time to snack on.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 16 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 234 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 15g | 19% |
| Saturated Fat 8g | 38% |
| Cholesterol 31mg | 10% |
| Sodium 108mg | 5% |
| Total Carbohydrate 22g | 8% |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 5% |
| Total Sugars 7g | |
| Protein 3g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 25mg | 2% |
| Iron 1mg | 6% |
| Potassium 74mg | 2% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
