Looking for Christmas cookies with oil instead of butter that disappear from the cookie tray first? These tender crescents are delicate, fragrant and, with their two-tone decoration, look like jewels on a holiday table.
The dough is easy and surprisingly cheap, because it uses plain vegetable oil instead of pricey butter. The result is a cookie with a luxurious flavor. Do you have your ingredients ready?
Quick Overview
- What it is: Tender butter-free cookies with coconut and jam.
- Secret trick: Cornstarch for an incredibly soft crumb.
- Cost and time: One baking sheet for little money, ready in about 35 minutes.
At a Glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Baking time: 15 minutes
- Servings: about 30 cookies
- Difficulty: Easy
- Calories: about 120 kcal per cookie
- Trend: Christmas hit
Ingredients
(US cups, with grams in brackets)
- Dough:
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) vanilla sugar (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 3/4 cup (90 g) powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (90 g) vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon peach or apricot jam
- 6 tablespoons (50 g) cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (6 g) baking powder
- 2 3/4 cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
- For decorating:
- melted milk or dark chocolate, for dipping
- peach or apricot jam, for brushing
- crushed peanuts, for coating
Instructions
- Crack the 2 whole eggs into a bowl, add the vanilla sugar and powdered sugar, and whisk well until the sugar is combined with the eggs.
- Pour in the oil and mix thoroughly again.
- Add the shredded coconut and 1 tablespoon of jam. Mix well.
- Add the cornstarch and baking powder. Whisk until smooth so there are no lumps.
- Gradually add the flour. Stir with a spatula at first, and when the dough thickens, knead it by hand (it should be soft, smooth and not sticky).
- Pinch off small pieces of dough (about 3/4 oz / 22 g each) and shape them into balls.
- Roll each ball into a small log and bend it into a crescent (horseshoe) shape. Place the crescents on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
- Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C) and bake for about 15 minutes.
- The crescents must stay pale, only lightly golden. Let them cool completely.
- Dip one half of each cooled crescent in melted chocolate and let it set.
- Brush the other half with jam and roll it in crushed peanuts.
Video Recipe
Tips for Perfect Christmas Cookies With Oil
- Store the cookies in a tin lined with a paper napkin. They stay tender and crisp-tender for up to two weeks.
- No peanuts? Use chopped walnuts or toasted almonds for an even more Christmassy flavor.
Easy Variations
- Coconut version: Instead of peanuts, roll the jam-brushed half of each crescent in shredded coconut.
- White chocolate: For an elegant look, dip the crescents in white chocolate and sprinkle with pistachios.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Can I make cookies with oil instead of butter? Yes, and this recipe is built for it. The oil combined with cornstarch gives a distinctive tenderness that lasts longer than in a butter dough.
- Can I use butter instead of oil here? In this particular recipe we recommend sticking to the oil. Together with the cornstarch it produces the specific tenderness that stays longer than in a butter dough.
- Do I need to chill the dough? No. This dough is great because you can work with it right after mixing.
- How long do they keep, and can I freeze them? In a tin they keep up to two weeks. For longer storage, freeze the plain baked crescents in an airtight container for up to 2 months and decorate them after thawing.
- Can I make them ahead for a cookie exchange? Yes. Bake and cool the crescents a few days ahead, then dip and coat them the day before the exchange so the chocolate and peanuts look fresh.
These crescents are a lovely addition to any candy dish. Serve them with hot tea or Christmas punch.
The recipe is based on a version by Yza dolce, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.
Enjoy! Try more recipes from our kitchen.
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