Biting into the crisp warm cookie - this seems like it should be the main reason for baking cookies, I believe that there is a better part. Once a year, my sister and I bake crescent cookies with my Oma. While the cookies are the most delicious cookies ever, that is not the reason I am always so excited to make them. I get to spend time with my Oma and sister baking these cookies and that is what I love. The taste of my favorite cookie could never beat the memories that I make with Jules and Oma. What may just seem like a cookie recipe to some people is my favorite holiday tradition. 

Jules and I arrive at Oma’s right after school. The first and most important step is to blast Christmas music and put on  our aprons. The apron I chose fits me now, but for many years I used to drown in it. The aprons are special because we all wear the same one we wear every year. When we were younger, Jules and I rolled the aprons so many times so we wouldn’t trip when we moved around the kitchen. Oma has all of the ingredients out and ready to go when we walk in. I mix the butter and sugar into a bowl until it is creamy. Next, we add the salt, fresh vanilla bean, and almonds. The air smells so sweet and delicious. Simple ingredients and all the love we put into these cookies is what makes these cookies delicious. Once the dough is made it is time to roll them into the crescent shapes. Jules rolls the dough into balls so that Oma and I can make them into crescents. Not to brag, but I have been named the “Best Crescent Roller” since I was little. The crescents need to be rolled thin enough so they are nice and crunchy, but thick enough so they will not burn. After we roll the cookies it is time to bake them which takes about twenty minutes. During this time we talk about what has been going on in our lives. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, we get out the powdered sugar to top them. Over the years we have come up with many different strategies on how to sugar them. The cookies need to be hot when we coat them but they are still fragile so they could break. This year we made a bag of powdered sugar and then placed the cookies in there and then lightly shook them. No matter how we coat the cookies, they are always our family’s favorite.  

After the cookies are baked, we are not ready to go home. Jules and I curl up on the couch, do our homework, and continue chatting with Oma.  She loves all of the stories we tell her and of course, she always shares some family secrets with us. Dinner is always our favorite pizza. Last, we pack the cookies in tins to share them with others during the holidays. Sharing these cookies gives me so much joy when I see how much people love them. They are my dad and Poppop’s favorite. My Poppop always had to be the first one to try the cookies to make sure they “were not poisonous”. Even though my Poppop is not here I know that he is looking down on us while we make these cookies. All the love that is put into the cookies and around them is what brings my family together. This crescent cookie recipe has been passed down to me by my Oma and I know I will carry on the cookie making tradition with my children and grandchildren.