Although many cultures have their own versions of vanilla shortbread, Vanillekipferl (Austrian vanilla crescent cookies), are perhaps my favorite! They simply melt-in-your-mouth with a delicate base of ground almonds and intense vanilla. These Austrian cookies are perfect for Christmas but can be enjoyed year-round.
(This recipe was originally published in December 2019, but was updated with new content in 2020).
When I visited Prague, the very first stop on my Prague Food Tour was a little gingerbread shop called Perníčkův sen (Gingerbread Man's Dream). Here we sampled several sweets including unforgettable melt-in-your-mouth Austrian cookies called Vanillekipferl.
Vanillekipferl (pronounced va-NILL-uh-kipf-url) literally means “vanilla crescent” or “vanilla moon.” They are one of Austria's most beloved cookies, and they are a staple at Christmastime. They’re also common in other parts of Europe including Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, and of course the Czech Republic where we sampled them.
These delicate, buttery, vanilla crescent cookies are tender and crumbly. They’re filled with ground almonds, laced with vanilla, and finished with a generous dusting of vanilla-infused powdered sugar. Although they are simple in appearance, they are packed with vanilla flavor, and seriously have the most magnificent texture.
It's like buttery, nutty, vanilla heaven in your mouth!
Ingredient notes
- Almond Meal: You’ll need very finely ground blanched almonds or almond meal for this recipe. I like to get my almond meal (or almond flour) at Trader Joe’s, although Aldi, Whole Foods, and Bob’s Red Mill brands also are great choices. Make sure to get the Blanched Almond Flour and not the Just Almond Meal from TJ’s. The latter contains bits of skin and will result in an unsightly flecked appearance to your vanillekipferl. You can also grind your own blanched almonds in a food processor until they are fine. Store leftover almond flour in a freezer bag in the freezer for longevity.
- Vanilla Sugar: These vanilla crescent cookies do not contain any vanilla extract. Instead they use Vanillezucker or vanilla sugar to provide the vanilla flavoring. You can certainly purchase vanilla sugar, but you can also make your own! Simply bury a whole or scraped vanilla bean in a couple cups of granulated sugar, and store in an airtight container for 1 to 2 weeks.
- Powdered Sugar: Also called confectioners’ sugar, this vanillekipferl recipe uses powdered sugar to sweeten the cookie dough and also for dusting the exterior.
How to make it
Add all-purpose flour, room temperature unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, almond meal, egg yolk, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until a smooth dough develops.
Divide the dough into 3 equal portions and roll each portion into a 1-inch-thick cylinder (PHOTOS 1-2). Wrap the rolls individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
When you’re ready to bake, heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove one roll from the refrigerator and cut it into ½-inch thick slices. Roll out each slice until it’s about 2-inches longer and the ends are tapered but not pointy. Form each into a crescent and place on one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat. The cookies should have about 1 inch of space between them on all sides.
Bake one pan at a time in the center of the oven until the cookies are just starting to lightly brown at the edges.
To make the topping, in a shallow bowl combine the powdered sugar and the vanilla sugar. Remove the cookies from the oven, let cool for only a minute or two, and then very carefully dredge your vanillekipferl completely in the sugar. Place on a rack to finish cooling.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Expert tips
This cookie dough is on the crumbly side, and if you're familiar with shortbread this shouldn't be a surprise. Just be patient, and don't be overzealous as you try to roll out and shape your crescents.
These Austrian Christmas cookies are quite small, but you can shape them larger (and bake them a tad longer) if you prefer.
Other recipes you may like
- Apfelstrudel (Austrian Apple Strudel)
- Topfenstrudel (Quark Strudel / Cheese Strudel)
- Cremeschnitten (Austrian Cream Slices)
- Buchteln (Austrian Stuffed Sweet Rolls)
- Pfeffernüsse (German Iced Spice Cookies)
- Perníčky (Czech Gingerbread Cookies)
- Heidesand (German Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies)
- Peppermint Biscotti
- Capezzoli di Venere (Nipples of Venus)
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Vanillekipferl (Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies)
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups plus 1 tablespoon (175 grams) all-purpose flour
- 8 ½ tablespoons (120 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (Vanillezucker)
- 1 cup (100 grams) very finely ground blanched almonds or almond meal
- 1 egg yolk
- Pinch kosher salt
Topping:
- ¾ cup (150 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar (Vanillezucker)
Instructions
- Put the flour, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, almond meal, egg yolk, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat together, starting on low so the flour doesn’t fly everywhere, until a smooth dough develops.
- Divide the dough into 3 equal portions and roll each portion into a 1-inch-thick cylinder. Wrap the rolls individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
- When you’re ready to bake, heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove one roll from the refrigerator and cut it into ½-inch slices. Roll out each slice until it’s about 2-inches longer and the ends are tapered but not pointy (this may take a bit more pressing and shaping rather than simply rolling because the dough can be crumbly). Form each into a crescent and place on one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough until the baking sheet is filled. The cookies should have about 1 inch of space between them on all sides.
- Bake one pan at a time in the center of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cookies are just starting to lightly brown at the edges. Repeat with the remaining pan of cookies.
- To make the topping, in a wide, shallow bowl combine the powdered sugar and the vanilla sugar. Remove the cookies from the oven, let cool for only a minute or two, and then very carefully dredge them completely in the sugar. Place on a rack to finish cooling. The cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
- To make your own vanilla sugar, bury a whole or scraped vanilla bean in 2 cups granulated sugar. Store in an airtight container for 1 to 2 weeks before using as regular, granulated sugar.
- You’ll need very finely ground blanched almonds or almond meal for this recipe. I like to get my almond meal (or almond flour) at Trader Joe’s, although Aldi, Whole Foods, and Bob’s Red Mill brands also are great choices. Make sure to get the Blanched Almond Flour and not the Just Almond Meal from TJ’s. The latter contains bits of skin and will result in an unsightly flecked appearance to your vanillekipferl. You can also grind your own blanched almonds in a food processor until they are fine. Store leftover almond flour in a freezer bag in the freezer for longevity.
- Adapted from Classic German Baking
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
Camille says
These cookies are SO good. They are similar to a butter ball but lighter. I can't wait to make them and add them into my Christmas Cookie rotation, although I think they would be great any time of year and not just Christmas!