Vanillekipferl (Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies)
In short: Buttery almond shortbread crescents baked pale golden and rolled in vanilla sugar while still warm. A tender Austrian Christmas cookie. It takes about 55 min in total and makes 20 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Resting
- 1 h 30 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 20
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 185 kcal
Vanillekipferl are crescent-shaped cookies, one of the first that many Austrian families bake in Advent. The dough is a short, buttery mix of flour and ground almonds with a sandy, tender crumb, and the warm cookies are rolled in vanilla sugar so it clings to every curve. They are fragile, so handle them gently. Similar cookies appear in neighboring Central European countries under related names, and each family has its own proportions.
Instructions
- Put the butter, flour, ground almonds, 70 g of powdered sugar, salt and half of the vanilla seeds in a large bowl. Rub together with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, then press and knead quickly into a smooth dough. Wrap and chill for 1 hour.
- Heat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Pinch off pieces of dough of about 16 g (a heaped tablespoon). Roll each into a rope about 7 cm (2 3/4 inches) long, slightly thinner at the ends, and bend into a crescent. Place them 2 cm (3/4 inch) apart on the trays, keeping the rest of the dough chilled.
- Bake one tray at a time for 12 to 14 minutes, until the tips are pale golden and the bottoms lightly browned. Leave the crescents on the tray for 5 minutes, because they are fragile when hot.
- Mix the 100 g of powdered sugar for the coating with the remaining vanilla seeds, rubbing the seeds in with your fingertips. Roll the still-warm crescents gently in the sugar and set them on a rack.
- Let the cookies cool completely, then dust with a little more of the vanilla sugar. Store in an airtight tin.
Tips
- The dough is short and crumbly, so work quickly with cool hands and chill it again if it softens. If it will not hold together, knead in 1 teaspoon of cold water.
- Keep the cookies in an airtight tin for a few days before serving, since the flavor and texture improve. They keep for up to 3 weeks.
Questions and answers
Why do Vanillekipferl crumble?
They are meant to be very short and tender. If they fall apart while shaping, the dough was too warm or too dry, so chill it or knead in a little cold water.
Can I use other nuts in Vanillekipferl?
Yes. Ground hazelnuts or walnuts are common and give a deeper flavor. Use the same weight and grind the nuts very fine.
How long do Vanillekipferl keep?
In an airtight tin in a cool place, up to 3 weeks. Many families bake them in early December so they are at their best for Christmas.
How long does it take to make Vanillekipferl (Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies)?
About 55 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Vanillekipferl (Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies)?
About 185 kcal per serving, with 3 g of protein, 20 g of carbohydrates and 11 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 185 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 20 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Sodium | 15 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
