Pecan Or Walnut Crescent Cookies

1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk 1 cup chopped nuts, flour, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside. Process remaining 1 cup chopped nuts in food processor until they are texture of coarse cornmeal, 10 to 15 seconds (do not overprocess). Stir nuts into flour mixture and set aside.
3. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter and superfine sugar at medium-low speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes; add vanilla, scraping down bowl as needed. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until dough just begins to come together but still looks scrappy, about 15 seconds. Scrape down bowl as needed; continue beating until dough is cohesive, 6 to 9 seconds longer. Do not overbeat.
4. Working with 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, roll into balls. Roll each dough ball between your palms into rope that measures 3 inches long. Place ropes on prepared baking sheets and turn up ends to form crescent shape. Bake until tops of cookies are pale golden and bottoms are just beginning to brown, 17 to 19 minutes, switching and rotating baking sheets halfway through baking.
5. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Place confectioners’ sugar in shallow baking dish or pie plate. Working with 3 or 4 cookies at a time, roll cookies in sugar to coat thoroughly; gently shake off excess.

ALMOND OR HAZELNUT CRESCENT COOKIES
Almonds can be used raw for cookies that are light in both color and flavor or toasted to enhance the almond flavor and darken the crescents.
Substitute 1-3⁄4 cups whole blanched almonds (toasted, if desired) or 2 cups skinned toasted hazelnuts for pecans or walnuts. If using almonds, add 1⁄2 teaspoon almond extract along with vanilla extract.

SHAPING CRESCENT COOKIES
Working with 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, roll dough into 1-1⁄4-inch balls. Roll each ball between palms into 3-inch-long rope. Place ropes on ungreased baking sheet and turn them up at each end to form crescent shapes.