Vanillekipferl are small crescent-shaped cookies from Austria that are also very popular in Germany and Switzerland, especially at Christmas. The dough is made with butter, egg yolks and ground hazelnuts or almonds, and the warm cookies get a coat of powdered sugar mixed with vanilla sugar.
My tip: coat the cookies while they are still hot, two or three at a time and top side down, then give them a second coat once they have cooled. The first coat sticks to the warm cookies, and the second one gives them their snowy finish.
Vanillekipferl (Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 300 g
- 18 tbsp unsalted butter 250 g, 2 sticks plus 2 tbsp; at room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar 125 g
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 1/4 cups ground hazelnuts or almonds 125 g
- 1 packet vanilla sugar about 2 tsp
- powdered sugar for coating
Instructions
- On a clean work surface, combine the flour, ground hazelnuts or almonds and sugar, mix well and shape into a mound with a well in the center.
- Put the egg yolks in the center of the well and the butter, cut into small cubes, around it.
- Using your fingertips, work the dough from the outside in, pinching it, until it comes together into a firm dough.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Take the dough out of the refrigerator and divide it into pieces about the size of a walnut.
- With your hands, roll each piece into a small log that is thinner at the ends. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and curve them into the classic crescent shape.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- While they bake, mix the powdered sugar with the vanilla sugar in a shallow bowl.
- Set aside.
- When the cookies come out of the oven, carefully place them top side down, 2 or 3 at a time, in the bowl of sugar for a few seconds so they get coated.
- Let them cool, then coat the cookies in the sugar a second time, and enjoy! ¡A disfrutar!







