Vanilla Crescents #Dairyfree {Vanillekipferl} #Cookis #Xmas

Today is the first of advent and there is no way to let the day pass without at least one kind of Christmas cookies, or Weihnachtsbroetle as I like to call them :) Baking cookies before the first of advent just does not feel right to me.  It is just me; I talked to my Mom today and she told me that it was a tradition to bake cookies on this day.  They always made their cookies on the first of advent.  So maybe, it is in my blood....

I make Vanilla Crescents every year and this year I tried out another recipe {click here for last year's version}.  The ones today turned out fantastic - a big part is that I used real vanilla bean instead of vanilla sugar.  It makes a huge difference...they do not look as beautiful as last year's {I just checked it out} but believe me when I say that they are delicious.  Oh, and the house smells amazing...

Vanilla Crescents 
10 Tbl Earth Balance {140 gr}
1/2 C Sugar {100 gr}
1 Vanilla Bean
2 Egg Yolks
1-1/2 C Flour - generous {200 gr}
1 C  blanched almonds and/or cashews finely chopped {100 gr - I used almonds & cashews} - almond
        meal

Sugar Crust
2 Tbl Sugar
4 Tbl Powdered Sugar
   1/2 of {above} vanilla bean - vanilla scraped out.

1. Cream softened margarine in mixer, and slowly add the sugar;
2. Slice half of vanilla bean open and scrape vanilla out and add to the margarine/sugar mixture - blend;
3. Add the egg yolks and continue blending until fully incorporated;
4. Add flour, and nuts; blend well until it is all nicely incorporated into a dough;
5. Divide the dough into three parts.  Roll each part out into a long roll; wrap into ceran wrap. Let
    rest in fridge for at least an hour;
   * Preheat oven to 360F

Here they are...from step 6 to finish :)

6. Cut each roll into about 1/4 - 1/2" pieces; and roll each individual piece into a smaller roll and form
    into a crescent;
7. Bake for about 10 minutes {check frequently - they should remain light and not turn brown}
8. mix the sugar crust by combining 2 Tbl Sugar, 4 Tbl Powdered Sugar, and vanilla from the other
    half of the vanilla bean;
9. let cookies cool down a tiny little bit, then carefully roll them in the sugar mixture, set them aside to cool down entirely before placing them into cookie tins.