American Almond Crescents

American Almond Crescents are a classic, buttery shortbread-style cookie shaped like a crescent moon and typically dusted with powdered sugar. They are made from a simple dough of butter, flour, sugar, and ground almonds, often flavored with vanilla or almond extract. This treat is a popular holiday cookie in the United States, especially during Christmas.

🍳 View the full American Almond Crescents recipe →

🍽️ Nutrition at a glance

These cookies are high in fat and carbohydrates, primarily from butter and flour, with a moderate amount of protein from the almonds. A single cookie (about 15-20g) provides roughly 80-100 calories, with key nutrients being vitamin E from the almonds and calcium from the butter.

Nutrition breakdown

Calories	300 kcal
Protein	5 g
Carbs	25 g
Fat	21 g
Fiber	2 g
Sugar	12 g
Sodium	100 mg
Vitamin E	3 mg
Magnesium	40 mg
Manganese	0.5 mg
Copper	0.2 mg
Phosphorus	60 mg
Iron	1 mg
Calcium	30 mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	0.1 mg

Per 4 cookies (60 g) · estimated, varies by recipe

💡 What's interesting

Culturally, the crescent shape is believed to symbolize the horns of the ox, a traditional symbol of good luck in some European traditions that influenced American baking. Nutritionally, the use of almonds adds a boost of healthy monounsaturated fats and antioxidants compared to a standard butter cookie.