Pracny-Inspired Nut Crescents

Winner 2025 Chicago Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest My favorite cookie of all time is the Czech pracny. I first tasted this cookie at age 6, soon after my family moved to Forest Park. That’s where I met my best friend, Marion, whose mother, Blanche, was an exceptional baker. Every Christmas, Blanche made pracny cookies, which are richly flavored with cinnamon, clove and cocoa, and pressed into ornate molds before baking. As a young girl, Blanche had learned to make pracny with her neighbor, who later passed down the treasured molds to her. Each year, Blanche invited my mother, Marion and me to help press the dough, filling her kitchen with the scent of spice and laughter. After Blanche passed, Marion and I continued the tradition. I made the dough, she brought the molds and together we baked! Now, more than 60 years later, our daughters join us in the kitchen to carry on this tradition. What began as a childhood memory has become a beloved family pastime, connecting generations. Wanting to share that magic, I created an easier version of pracny, a simple recipe without a cookie mold that still captures the same warmth, love and spiced aroma of Blanche’s original cookies that I hope all can enjoy! — Janet Lapen, Downers Grove

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Cream butter and powdered sugar together until thoroughly mixed. Add vanilla.

Step 2

Mix flour, spices and cocoa powder in a separate bowl.

Step 3

Alternate adding the flour mixture and nuts to the butter and sugar mix.

Step 4

Mix until completely combined. Chill the dough for at least an hour.

Step 5

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Form generous tablespoon portions of dough into crescent shapes.

Step 6

Place on parchment-lined cookie sheets, space cookies about 1 inch apart.

Step 7

Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Step 8

Let cookies cool for 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to the cooling rack.

Step 9

Dredge completely cooled cookies in powdered sugar or sift powdered sugar on top of cookies.