Almond-Butt Circles

So my Aunt who lives abroad and does not own an oven (thought I'd just add that in, being very odd and horrible and all, not having an oven--not the aunt part of course! Gasp!), wanted me to bake her some of my famous Almond Crescent cookies. A light, buttery, flaky cookie for those few and far between times you do not crave chocolate. This recipe is quite special to me, it is the first cookie I ever made. I found the recipe in the coupon section of our Sunday Paper, on a Sunday, so many, many years ago. I had all the ingredients and the cookies looked so delicate and sweet, unlike the Oreos and Chips Ahoys I normally fattened myself upon, that I just HAD to make them. And I have been making them ever since. So here it is, "I Can't Believe it's Not Butters" Almond Crescents.

• 2 sticks room temp softened butter
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 Ts Vanilla
• 1 cup finely ground almonds
• 2 cups flour, (sift before adding to butter mixture)

Using a HAND MIXER cream together butter and sugar, until light and fluffy. A Kitchen Aid, for example does not even GET all the butter and sugar mix, and therefore cannot fluff up the butter as much. Now dip a finger in and taste. You know, just to make sure it's creamy enough(hehe).

Add in the rest of the ingredients. DO NOT USE ANY MIXER BUT YOUR HANDS. The dough is delicate, just make sure all the ingredients form a dough, no more mixing than that or your cookies will not be as airy as promised. Wrap the dough in plastic and refridgerate for an hour. Set your oven to 350F and taking a TB of dough in your hands, lightly ball it, then squish it flat (1/4 of an inch). You can also make crescents by rolling your TB of dough into a baby sausage, flattening it out and bending slightly at the tips (you know...like a crescent moon). Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly tanned around the edges. I recommend using a spatula to remove them from the hot baking pan they were on, and placing in a cool pan. This does two things. Stops them from over browning on your hot pan AND Athey are easier to move around while still hot. When they are totally cool, they will become crunchy (as they should). You don't have to keep much space between cookies as they do not pounce upon each other, in oven.

These are not too sweet, so sprinkle some confectioners on top, or maybe try some icing. Go wild, decorate them, they do hold up. And I'd love to see pictures of yours!