Browned Butter Macadamia Crescents with Ginger Glaze
Buttery crescent-shaped cookies with warm ginger spice, toasted macadamia nuts, and a silky browned butter glaze. The nutty, caramelized butter adds depth while rum extract provides subtle complexity. Perfect for holiday gifting, afternoon tea, or special occasions. This version features browned butter in the glaze for rich, nutty flavor that simple shortbread.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ⅝ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon rum extractalmond extract1:1flavor-swapadds tree_nuts
nutty almond note instead of spice
- 2 cups all-purpose flourgluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend1:1dietarygluten-free
maintains texture
- 1 cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 5 tablespoons half & halfheavy cream1:1consistency-swapadds dairy
thicker glaze, richer flavor
- ½ cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped
Instructions
- 1
Heat oven to 350°F.
- 2
Beat softened butter, granulated sugar, ginger, and rum extract until well combined, scraping bowl often.
- 3
Add flour and macadamia nuts; beat at low speed until mixture comes together.
- 4
Shape dough into 1-inch balls and form each into a crescent shape.
- 5
Place crescents 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
- 6
Bake 9-11 minutes until set.
- 7
Cool cookies completely on baking sheet.
- 8
Melt butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat.
- 9
Stir constantly and watch closely 4-6 minutes until butter turns golden brown.
- 10
Remove from heat immediately and cool 1 minute.
- 11
Transfer browned butter to bowl.
- 12
Mix browned butter, powdered sugar, ginger, and enough half & half to reach desired consistency.
- 13
Drizzle cooled cookies with glaze.
- 14
Immediately top with finely chopped macadamia nuts.
Tips
Watch browned butter closely during cooking; it transitions from golden to burnt quickly. Remove from heat the moment it reaches light golden color and smells nutty.
For uniform crescents, roll dough into balls first, then gently form into crescent shapes. Chill dough 30 minutes if too soft to shape.
Drizzle glaze immediately after forming cookies so it sets partially and holds nuts in place. Let glaze set fully before stacking.
Good to Know
Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. Glazed cookies can separate in humidity; store with parchment between layers.
Shape and freeze dough balls up to 2 weeks. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes. Bake cookies without glaze and freeze up to 3 weeks; glaze day-of.
Serve at room temperature with tea or coffee. Stack on parchment for gifting. Best enjoyed within 2-3 days of glazing for optimal texture contrast.
Common Mistakes
Do not walk away while browning butter; it moves quickly from golden to burnt.
Do not over-beat dough after adding flour to avoid tough cookies.
Do not glaze cookies while warm or glaze will slide off before setting.
Substitutions
Gluten-Free Swaps
maintains texture
General Alternatives
FAQ
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. Shape into balls and freeze up to 2 weeks in airtight container. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time. Dough keeps refrigerated 3 days.
What if my browned butter burns?
Start over; burnt butter tastes acrid and cannot be salvaged. Use medium heat and do not leave unattended. It should smell nutty and nutmeg-like, not dark.
How long do glazed cookies keep?
Up to 5 days in airtight container at room temperature. High humidity causes glaze to soften; store with parchment between layers to prevent sticking.