My Grandmother's Christmas Cookies: Vanilkové Rohličky (Vanilla Crescents)

Vanilla Crescents are my grandmother's most crowd-pleasing cookie, and I will admit that my favorite non-Czech Christmas cookies are usually riffs on this traditional sugared nutty cookie.  I have fond memories of stuffing my face with these as a child, whenever my grandmother put them out for dessert.

My grandmother credits her old friend Mrs. Kaudersová, now deceased, for perfecting the "American" measurements listed below.

You will need:

100g hazelnuts
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2.5 sticks margarine
3 c. flour
3 egg yolks

For the topping (not pictured):
confectioner's sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar per 1c. confectioner's sugar (optional)

Start by grinding together the hazelnuts and granulated sugar in a food processor.  My grandmother explained that this is to keep the nuts from being pulverized into paste.

Separately, measure your margarine and flour into a large bowl and add the egg yolks.

Add the sugar and hazelnut mixture.

Beat everything together on low, with a hook attachment if you're using a standing mixer.

Knead the dough together by hand until fully combined.

Keep a quarter of your dough on a clean surface and put the rest into the fridge.  Take small lumps of dough and roll them out to the size of your pinky, then curve them into crescents and place them on a greased baking sheet.

Bake them at 350° for 21 minutes, rotating your sheet every seven minutes.  The crescents should just be turning golden brown on the edges.

Immediately remove them from the hot baking sheet and place them in a cookie tin.  Sprinkle them heavily with your confectioner's sugar immediately.

Pile more cookies on and sugar them again as soon as they come out of the oven.

Keep the tins open overnight, then put them away the next day and keep the cookies closed up until Christmas.