I have made these crescent cookies many times, especially when I crave something quick but with simple ingredients. I usually start with lard because it adds flavor and tenderness, and I use whatever I have at home for the filling - Turkish delight or jam, depending on what I have. When I have time, I also make the version with sweet cheese, which is great with coffee or when I want a different breakfast. It took me a while to find the right balance of lard and flour so that they don't turn out too crumbly. They are practical, you get a lot from one batch, and you don't have to worry too much about the technique.
Quick info
Total time: about 1 hour (without cooling)
Preparation time: 30-40 minutes
Baking time: 10-12 minutes per batch (depending on the oven)
Servings: 2 large trays (about 80-100 pieces, depending on size)
Difficulty: easy-medium
Recipe type: quick homemade dessert
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 600 g flour (60 dkg)
- 200 g lard (20 dkg) + 50 g extra for greasing
- 1 cup buttermilk (approx. 200 ml)
- 1 egg
- 10 g yeast (1 dkg)
For the filling:
- 100 g finely chopped Turkish delight (10 dkg)
- 1 jar of plum jam (about 300 g)
For finishing:
- powdered vanilla sugar, for rolling the cooled crescent cookies
Alternative cheese filling:
- 300 g cottage cheese (30 dkg)
- 1 egg
- 3-4 tablespoons sugar (to taste)
- 2 packets of vanilla sugar
- grated orange peel
Preparation method
1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with 200 g of lard. Add the buttermilk, egg, and yeast. Knead quickly just until combined (don't overdo it to keep it tender).
2. Divide the dough into four pieces as evenly as possible.
3. Take the first piece and roll it out on a lightly greased surface to a sheet that is neither too thin nor too thick.
4. Melt 50 g of lard (or as much as you think is enough) and evenly brush the rolled-out sheet with a brush or the back of a spoon.
5. Roll the greased sheet tightly, like a roulade.
6. Cut the resulting roll into slices about 1 cm thick.
7. Slightly roll each slice with a rolling pin to have a "mini sheet" perfect for rolling.
8. Brush each mini sheet again with warm lard.
9. Place a small piece of Turkish delight or a bit of plum jam in the middle, roll it up into a crescent shape, and gently pinch the edges if using jam (to prevent leaking).
10. Place the crescent cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or greased.
11. Repeat with the other pieces of dough.
12. Preheat the oven to maximum (for me, it works well at 220-230°C, but everyone knows their oven).
13. Bake the crescent cookies until they are slightly golden on the edges, about 10-12 minutes, but check periodically – they should not burn.
14. Remove the crescent cookies, let them cool slightly, then roll them in powdered vanilla sugar.
For the cheese filling, mix the cheese with the egg, sugar, vanilla sugar, and grated orange peel. Use it just like you would with Turkish delight or jam.
Why I make this recipe often
I love that it doesn't require special techniques or expensive ingredients. The dough turns out tender, and the filling can be changed based on what I have at home. You get a lot in one batch, and they keep well for a few days. You can pack them for lunch or have them for breakfast without any issues.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Lard gives the best texture for this type of crescent cookie. If you want tenderness and authentic flavor, don’t substitute it.
- Use regular flour, not special cake flour.
- If you use jam, try to ensure it’s not too liquid; otherwise, it will leak during baking.
- Don’t heat the lard too much; it should just be fluid for brushing.
- Don’t open the oven door too often, or you will lose temperature.
Substitutions
- If you don’t have lard, butter will work, but it won’t be as tender.
- Buttermilk can be replaced with kefir or diluted yogurt, but the final taste will change slightly.
- For a pork-free version, use butter or margarine, but the texture will be different.
Variations
- You can fill them with ground nuts mixed with sugar and a bit of cinnamon.
- You can also use thicker jam, not just plum jam.
- The cottage cheese filling makes the crescent cookies suitable as a snack, not just as a dessert.
Serving ideas
- They go well with coffee or tea.
- They are also good for breakfast if you add cheese to them.
- They stay tender if you keep them in a closed tin.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use butter instead of lard?
Yes, but the final texture won’t be as tender, and the taste will change slightly. Lard gives the best results for this type of crescent cookie.
2. Can I make the recipe with dry yeast?
You can use 4 g of dry yeast instead of fresh yeast. Hydrate it first with a bit of buttermilk from the total amount, then add it as in the original recipe.
3. What can I substitute for plum jam?
You can use any thicker jam or preserve, just make sure it’s not too liquid. It also works well with fruit spread or nuts.
4. Can I freeze the crescent cookies before or after baking?
I do not recommend freezing them before because they contain yeast and lard, and the texture may suffer upon thawing. After baking, they can be frozen, but they lose some tenderness when defrosted.
5. Why do the crescent cookies come apart while baking?
Most often, if you don’t roll them tightly or if you put too much filling, they can come apart while baking. Pinch the edges, especially if you’re using jam.
Nutritional values (estimates)
One serving (2-3 crescent cookies, about 40-50 g) contains approximately:
- 180-200 kcal
- 8 g fat
- 24 g carbohydrates
- 2-3 g protein
These are approximate calculations, depending on how much filling you use and how large you cut the crescent cookies.
Storage and reheating
The crescent cookies keep well for 3-4 days in a tin or a container with a lid at room temperature. If you want to reheat them, you can place them for a few seconds in a conventional oven or microwave, but usually, they are eaten at room temperature. I do not recommend storing them in the fridge, as they become harder. They can be frozen, but they are best consumed fresh.
Quick info
Total time: about 1 hour (without cooling)
Preparation time: 30-40 minutes
Baking time: 10-12 minutes per batch (depending on the oven)
Servings: 2 large trays (about 80-100 pieces, depending on size)
Difficulty: easy-medium
Recipe type: quick homemade dessert
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 600 g flour (60 dkg)
- 200 g lard (20 dkg) + 50 g extra for greasing
- 1 cup buttermilk (approx. 200 ml)
- 1 egg
- 10 g yeast (1 dkg)
For the filling:
- 100 g finely chopped Turkish delight (10 dkg)
- 1 jar of plum jam (about 300 g)
For finishing:
- powdered vanilla sugar, for rolling the cooled crescent cookies
Alternative cheese filling:
- 300 g cottage cheese (30 dkg)
- 1 egg
- 3-4 tablespoons sugar (to taste)
- 2 packets of vanilla sugar
- grated orange peel
Preparation method
1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with 200 g of lard. Add the buttermilk, egg, and yeast. Knead quickly just until combined (don't overdo it to keep it tender).
2. Divide the dough into four pieces as evenly as possible.
3. Take the first piece and roll it out on a lightly greased surface to a sheet that is neither too thin nor too thick.
4. Melt 50 g of lard (or as much as you think is enough) and evenly brush the rolled-out sheet with a brush or the back of a spoon.
5. Roll the greased sheet tightly, like a roulade.
6. Cut the resulting roll into slices about 1 cm thick.
7. Slightly roll each slice with a rolling pin to have a "mini sheet" perfect for rolling.
8. Brush each mini sheet again with warm lard.
9. Place a small piece of Turkish delight or a bit of plum jam in the middle, roll it up into a crescent shape, and gently pinch the edges if using jam (to prevent leaking).
10. Place the crescent cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or greased.
11. Repeat with the other pieces of dough.
12. Preheat the oven to maximum (for me, it works well at 220-230°C, but everyone knows their oven).
13. Bake the crescent cookies until they are slightly golden on the edges, about 10-12 minutes, but check periodically – they should not burn.
14. Remove the crescent cookies, let them cool slightly, then roll them in powdered vanilla sugar.
For the cheese filling, mix the cheese with the egg, sugar, vanilla sugar, and grated orange peel. Use it just like you would with Turkish delight or jam.
Why I make this recipe often
I love that it doesn't require special techniques or expensive ingredients. The dough turns out tender, and the filling can be changed based on what I have at home. You get a lot in one batch, and they keep well for a few days. You can pack them for lunch or have them for breakfast without any issues.
Tips and variations
Tips
- Lard gives the best texture for this type of crescent cookie. If you want tenderness and authentic flavor, don’t substitute it.
- Use regular flour, not special cake flour.
- If you use jam, try to ensure it’s not too liquid; otherwise, it will leak during baking.
- Don’t heat the lard too much; it should just be fluid for brushing.
- Don’t open the oven door too often, or you will lose temperature.
Substitutions
- If you don’t have lard, butter will work, but it won’t be as tender.
- Buttermilk can be replaced with kefir or diluted yogurt, but the final taste will change slightly.
- For a pork-free version, use butter or margarine, but the texture will be different.
Variations
- You can fill them with ground nuts mixed with sugar and a bit of cinnamon.
- You can also use thicker jam, not just plum jam.
- The cottage cheese filling makes the crescent cookies suitable as a snack, not just as a dessert.
Serving ideas
- They go well with coffee or tea.
- They are also good for breakfast if you add cheese to them.
- They stay tender if you keep them in a closed tin.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use butter instead of lard?
Yes, but the final texture won’t be as tender, and the taste will change slightly. Lard gives the best results for this type of crescent cookie.
2. Can I make the recipe with dry yeast?
You can use 4 g of dry yeast instead of fresh yeast. Hydrate it first with a bit of buttermilk from the total amount, then add it as in the original recipe.
3. What can I substitute for plum jam?
You can use any thicker jam or preserve, just make sure it’s not too liquid. It also works well with fruit spread or nuts.
4. Can I freeze the crescent cookies before or after baking?
I do not recommend freezing them before because they contain yeast and lard, and the texture may suffer upon thawing. After baking, they can be frozen, but they lose some tenderness when defrosted.
5. Why do the crescent cookies come apart while baking?
Most often, if you don’t roll them tightly or if you put too much filling, they can come apart while baking. Pinch the edges, especially if you’re using jam.
Nutritional values (estimates)
One serving (2-3 crescent cookies, about 40-50 g) contains approximately:
- 180-200 kcal
- 8 g fat
- 24 g carbohydrates
- 2-3 g protein
These are approximate calculations, depending on how much filling you use and how large you cut the crescent cookies.
Storage and reheating
The crescent cookies keep well for 3-4 days in a tin or a container with a lid at room temperature. If you want to reheat them, you can place them for a few seconds in a conventional oven or microwave, but usually, they are eaten at room temperature. I do not recommend storing them in the fridge, as they become harder. They can be frozen, but they are best consumed fresh.