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Melania's Vanillekipferl Recipe - Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies

Vanillekipferl are an almond cookie which is very similar to a shortbread cookie, but made with ground almonds. This is one that I had at my friend Melania's house at Christmas. Her recipe starts with one from her old Dr. Oetker cookbook. 

However, Melania loves to adapt recipes to her own liking, often making them easier than the original.

Prep Time

35 minutes

Bake Time

10 minutes

Total Time

45 minutes

Servings:

Makes 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1¾ cups (228 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (120 grams) ground almonds
  • ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla sugar
  • 1 cup (227 grams) cold butter
  • 1 cup (125 grams) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (26 grams) vanilla sugar

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Prepare two cookie sheets, either by greasing or lining with parchment paper, and set aside.
  2. Mix flour, ground almonds, sugar, and vanilla sugar together in a large bowl.
  3. Cut in cold butter with a pastry blender and then quickly knead all ingredients together with your hands to make a smooth dough.
  4. Roll the cookie dough into a ½-inch thick log. Cut the log into 2-inch pieces and roll slightly with your hands.
  5. Place onto the prepared baking sheets and shape dough into crescents.
  6. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
  7. Meanwhile, prepare the topping by mixing together the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar.
  8. As soon as the cookies are removed from the oven, carefully roll the delicate cookies in the sugar mixture. Place the coated cookies on a wire rack to finish cooling. Once they are completely cooled, you can dust them with more of the sugar mixture.

Notes/Hints:

  • Store in an airtight container or in cookie tins at room temperature for up to one week, or keep in the freezer.
  • These cookies store very well, actually getting better the longer they stand.
  • This is normally considered a difficult cookie to make! The dough can be very fragile and can be difficult to form into the crescent shape.
  • You can make these with other ground nuts instead, such as ground walnuts or hazelnuts.

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11.26.2021 revision update