3 c  Unsifted all-purpose flour;
-plus 3 tablespoons
3 tb Cornstarch; plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Baking soda
1/4 ts Cream of tartar
1/4 ts Salt
1/4 ts Freshly ground nutmeg
3/4 lb Unsalted butter; melted and
-cooled (3 sticks)
2/3 c  Confectioners sugar
1 1/4 ts Vanilla extract
1 1/2 c  Finely chopped pecans

–TO FINISH THE COOKIES–
About 2 cups confectioners
-sugar for dredging the
-baked cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with lengths of
parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cream of
tartar, salt and nutmeg.

Stir together the butter, 2/3 cup confectioners sugar and vanilla extract.
Stir in half of the sifted mixture, 1 cup pecans, then the remaining sifted
mixture.

To form each cookie, take up a heaping teaspoon of dough, roll into a log,
form into a crescent and place on the lined cookie sheet, spacing the
cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart. Press pinches of the remaining pecans on
top of the crescents.

Bake the cookies for about 13 to 15 minutes, or until set. The undersides
should be a very pale golden color. After 1 minute, transfer the cookies to
cooling racks using a wide metal spatula. Cool for 5 minutes. While the
cookies are still warm, carefully dredge them in the confectioners sugar.
Cool completely.

Store in an airtight container. Makes a good holiday gift packed in an
attractive tin.