Cinnamon Crescent Cookies

This tasty holiday treat is the Chicago Tribune’s cookie contest winner!

By: Jodie Shield, RDN

December ‘tis the cookie baking season. My lightened up Classic Cut-Out Sugar Cookies are so easy and a winner with my family and friends. But if you’re looking for more holiday baking inspiration, check out this year’s Chicago Tribune annual cookie contest winners.

For the past 28 years, the Chicago Tribune has hosted a cookie contest. I’ve been analyzing their recipes for twenty of those years, and I must say, this years winners were exceptional!

First Place: Erma’s Crescents

Second Place: Lose-Your-Friend Lemon Bars

Third Place: Holiday Cups

Here’s Erma’s Crescent recipe which I have affectionately renamed Cinnamon Crescent Cookies. The dough was super easy to work with and easy to roll into thin circles. According to Erma, you can use walnut or pecans but make sure they peek out when they are rolled into crescents. She also recommends freezing the cooled and glazed cookies so you always have a few on hand.

Still need a few more holiday menu? I’ve added all sorts of holiday recipes to my app Time to Eat Healthy. Buy one for you and order a few for your friends – I’m donating a portion of the proceeds to charity.

Cinnamon Crescent Cookies

45 servings

 Prep time: 40 minutes

Chill time: 3 hours

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 cup cold unsalted butter
• 2 cups flour, sifted
• 1 egg yolk (saving the white)
• ¾ cup sour cream

Filling:

• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup finely ground walnuts
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Glaze:

• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Steps:

1.  For dough, cut butter into flour with pastry blender or fork. Add egg yolk and sour cream. Mix well by hand. Shape dough into a ball, sprinkle with flour and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 3 hours.
2. For filling, combine sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon in bowl. Set aside.
3. Heat oven to 350°F. Divide dough into thirds. On lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 14-inch circle. Brush circles with lightly beaten egg white. Sprinkle filling evenly over circle. (Do not over-fill or the filling may seep out and burn.) Cut circle into 12-15 wedges. Starting at the widest end of each wedge, roll to form a tight crescent, bending slightly into a crescent shape.
4.  Gently transfer crescents to parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake crescents until golden brown, 25-30 minutes.
5.  Meanwhile, combine glaze ingredients in bowl; mix until smooth. After baking, transfer crescents to wire rack with parchment paper underneath it; cool slightly. While crescents are still warm, spoon glaze over them.

Nutritional Information (per cookie):

102 calories, 1 gram protein, 11 grams carbohydrate, 6 grams fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 18 milligrams cholesterol, 0 grams fiber, 2 milligrams sodium

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