A Christmastime Confession
Here’s a little secret…I really…don’t…like…BAKING. I know! It’s sad, but true. Measuring ingredients, carefully considering their temperatures, and waiting endlessly for batches of cookies to bake is not my thing.
A Texas Tribute
However, this post is a tribute to my mother and her sister, my Aunt Jeanne. It’s been 5 years since my mother passed, and my Aunt turned 91 this year, God bless her! These Moon Cookies remind me of them and growing up in Texas.
My Aunt was a marvelous baker and sent all of her recipes to my mother who always used to bake these cookies and especially around the holidays. They’re beautiful little handmade crescent shapes filled with pecans and covered with powdered sugar!
When you eat them, don’t even try to hide it, because you’ll wind up covered in powdered sugar. As children, we loved licking the evidence off our fingers, and lips. Psst – I love doing the same thing now!
A Gift From the Heart
I’ll always remember Mom packing them up and giving away hundreds of these cookies. She’d fill up her decorative tins and distribute them to our neighbors and friends during the holiday season. A taste of her love spread through the community.
I hope to do the same with this post.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pecan, ground well in processor
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 pound butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 salt
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream butter and sugar well using a hand mixer, for about 2 minutes. Continue mixing, and add flour, about a third at a time, add nuts and vanilla. Add a small pinch of salt to bring out the flavors. By hand stir in water about a tablespoon at a time. The dough should be easily formed and should not be sticky. If it falls apart, you can add more water, and if it becomes sticky you can add more flour.
- Scoop the dough in small tablespoons into your hand and roll into balls before placing evenly onto an ungreased pan. Press and mold the balls into crescent moon shapes using your fingers. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
- When the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle them with powdered sugar and place them on a cooling rack, then sugar again before serving. The cookies should be covered in a white layer of sugar.
The giving doesn’t stop there! We’ve partnered with The Tooksa company, who makes these beautiful wooden spoons and spatulas that I shared in my last blog post.
We’re giving away a set of their cream-colored tools to one lucky fan! All you have to do to enter is share a photo of YOUR favorite holiday cookie on Instagram and tag @flirtingwithflavors and @tooksacompany with the hashtag #giftguidegiveaway by Wednesday, December 19th at 3 pm EST.*
Good luck and Happy Holidays!
*Winners must be US residents in order to qualify.
