Vanilla Half-Moons

Recipe View In a medium bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding the next. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Carefully split half of the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds using the back of a knife. Stir the vanilla seeds into the butter mixture until evenly distributed. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Gradually mix in the all-purpose flour and ground almonds until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. (3 minutes)

Recipe View Divide the dough into two equal portions. Wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or preferably 2 hours, until firm. (60-120 minutes)

Recipe View Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Remove one portion of dough from the refrigerator at a time. On a lightly floured surface, break off tablespoon-sized pieces of dough and roll them into small ropes, approximately 2 inches long. (15 minutes)

Recipe View Gently bend each rope into a crescent or half-moon shape and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Bake for 10-15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. (10-15 minutes)

Recipe View While the cookies are baking, prepare the vanilla sugar. Split the remaining vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds. Stir the vanilla seeds into the confectioners' sugar, mixing well to distribute the vanilla evenly. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Once the cookies are baked, let them cool slightly for a minute or two on the baking sheets. While they are still warm (but cool enough to handle), carefully roll each cookie in the vanilla sugar, ensuring they are fully coated. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Place the vanilla-coated cookies on a wire rack to cool completely. The vanilla sugar will adhere as the cookies cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.