These Vegan Almond Crescent Cookies are crispy, buttery, and made with almond flour for a gluten-free cookie that’s perfect for serving with coffee, tea, or hot cocoa! You’ll love this healthier take on a classic crescent cookie. Thanks to Miyoko’s for sponsoring this post.

I think I’ve found one of my new favorite vegan holiday cookies! Last year, the fave was these vegan snowball cookies…but I think these may even top those!! For best results though, you should definitely just bake both ;) they’ll add tons of buttery goodness to your holiday cookie platters!

Have you ever had a crescent cookie? They were a classic in my childhood, and we always made them during the holidays to add to our cookie boxes! Buttery, crispy, sweet, and flavorful, they’re absolutely perfect for serving with coffee, tea, or a cup of hot cocoa 🙂 did I mention that they are SO cute, too?!

This version is also much healthier than the classic! We switch out the traditional butter, sugar, and flour for more wholesome alternatives. Instead, we use my favorite vegan butter from Miyoko’s, almond and oat flours, and maple syrup to sweeten. I did keep it classic with the powdered sugar, but I also provide an option for making your own refined sugar-free “powdered sugar” with coconut sugar and tapioca starch. Let’s get into exactly what you need to make these healthier holiday cookies! They’re fully gluten-free as well — you know we love a good gluten-free cookie recipe around here!

What do you need to make crescent cookies?

  • Almond Flour: adds delightful almond flour to these cookies, along with a light texture! Look for fine, blanched almond flour. Almond meal will make these too crumbly.
  • Arrowroot or Tapioca Starch: this adds a crispy lightness to the cookies.
  • Sea Salt: for flavor! If you happen to use Miyoko’s salted butter, you can skip this or halve the amount.
  • Maple Syrup: you can also use honey, although it’s not vegan.
  • Miyoko’s Vegan Butter: the game-changer! This is my go-to vegan butter for all things baking. It tastes and bakes just like traditional butter and adds such a wonderful buttery taste and texture. I use unsalted so I can control the level of salt.
  • Vanilla & Almond Extracts: vanilla is a must, and if you love the flavor of almond extract, it brings the almond-y flavor of this recipe to the next level!
  • Powdered Sugar: to roll the cookies in! I use a classic powdered sugar, but you could use a keto version or the homemade coconut sugar powdered sugar I used in this snowball cookie recipe.

Why Miyoko’s Butter?

Well first of all – it is SO delicious! It’s vegan, of course, but it’s also gluten-free, soy-free, palm oil-free, kosher, and non-GMO. Because it uses the traditional creamery techniques of culturing, it has a super classic buttery taste that’s perfect spread on toast, browning for pasta sauce tossed with your favorite pasta, or especially good in baked goods. I’ve found that it bakes up just like animal dairy butter in all of my favorite cookies and other treats.

I also love the ingredients that Miyoko’s uses! Unlike most vegan options which are just a blend of oils, It’s made with cultured cashew milk and coconut oil. They make a salted version, and an unsalted version, and even have an allergen-friendly oat-based spread line. I tend to use the unsalted so I can control the level of salt, but you’ve got options — all equally delicious.

How to make almond crescent cookies:

Mix the dough by combining all of the ingredients above! I do it simply in a stand mixer, but you can also mix them up by hand. Make sure your Miyoko’s butter is at room temperature to help it integrate well into the dough.

Shape the cookies! I first use a small cookie scoop to dole out the dough into the correct portions, and then I form them into the cute crescent shape. I roll each dough ball into a log kind of shape, with tapered ends, and then form it into the crescent shape. Best of all, they don’t need any time to chill before baking to keep their shape!

Bake the cookies for about 18 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown.

Roll in powdered sugar and use a strainer to shake off the excess! The sugar sticks the best if you do this while the cookies are still slightly warm. Serve, and enjoy!

What’s the best way to store them?

After letting these gluten-free crescent cookies cool completely on a wire rack, they’re ready to store. In an airtight container, these almond crescent cookies will stay good at room temperature for about a week! You can also keep them in the fridge for a similar length of time. In the freezer, you will be able to keep them for up to 3 months for the freshest taste. Make sure they’re stored airtight so they don’t get freezer burn!

More delicious vegan holiday cookies:

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Vegan Almond Crescent Cookies

★★★★★ 5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Rachel Conners
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes
  • Total Time: 38 minutes
  • Yield: 20 cookies 1x
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

These Vegan Almond Crescent Cookies are crispy, buttery, and coated in powdered sugar for a cookie that’s perfect for serving with coffee, tea, or hot cocoa!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1½ cup (148g) blanched almond flour
  • ½ cup (72g) arrowroot or tapioca starch
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ cup (84g) maple syrup
  • 5 tablespoons (70g) Miyoko’s vegan butter, I used unsalted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract, optional, use ¼ teaspoon for a milder flavor
  • Powdered sugar, to roll the cookies in, you can also use the coconut sugar/arrowroot flour combo I used in these snowball cookies for a refined sugar-free option

Instructions

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 325F.
  2. In a mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the blanched almond flour, arrowroot starch, and salt. Add the maple syrup, softened Miyoko’s vegan butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until combined.
  3. Shape about 2 teaspoons of dough into a crescent moon shape, about 1/4 teaspoon thick. Repeat with the remaining dough. You should have about 20 cookies. If you want to flatten or even them out a bit, you can lightly roll over the top of them with a rolling pin (or flat-sided bottle). 
  4. Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and on the bottom. The longer you bake, the crispier they’ll be.
  5. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the baking sheet.
  6. Place a few tablespoons of powdered sugar in a small bowl. Roll each cookie in the powdered sugar and use a strainer to shake off the excess.
  7. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to three months.

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