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Vanillekipferln are crescent-shaped cookies featuring ground almonds, vanilla and a generous dusting of powdered sugar. They are delicate and buttery with a melt-in-your-mouth texture – SO GOOD! A popular German Christmas cookie and one of my favorites!

Vanillekipferln dusted with powdered sugar sitting on a square piece of brown parchment paper.

What Are Vanillekipferln?

Vanillekipferln are crescent-shaped cookies similar to shortbread cookies with the addition of ground nuts, vanilla and a generous dusting of powdered sugar. They are popular throughout much of Europe (especially at Christmas time) but originate from Austria.

These crescent cookies are also a traditional German Christmas cookie and one of my favorites! As a child I always grabbed a few from my Mom’s beautiful cookie trays filled with German baking (can you blame me?). There are also versions made with ground walnuts or hazelnuts but this Vanillekipferl recipe features ground almonds. This is the version that I grew up with and the combination of almonds and vanilla is absolutely delicious.

Reasons To Love These Cookies

What’s not to love! This Vanillekipferl recipe is…

  • Perfect to make ahead! They taste great for a few weeks after baking and can also be frozen.
  • Easy to make and the dough is mixed in one bowl so there are also less dishes – YAY!
  • A delicious addition to a Christmas cookie platter and great for gifting too!
  • Cozy and festive treat especially when served with a cup of Glühwein, Kinderpunsch or Orange Spice Mulled Tea.
  • A family favorite! Delicate, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness – SO GOOD!
Stack of vanilla almond crescent cookies with one cookie leaning against the stack.

Ingredients You’ll Need

There are so many slight variations out there for Vanillekipferl (even within my own family) and I tried them all. Egg yolks vs no egg yolks, cold butter vs softened butter, and so on! After all the testing, the conclusion was that they are all delicious with slight differences in texture.

I left the egg yolks as an optional ingredient (see below) and discovered that there is absolutely no need to wait for butter to soften since the cookies using the cold butter had the better texture.

Let’s get started! To make this vanillekipferl recipe, you will need…

Labelled image of ingredients needed to make Vanillekipferl crescent cookies.
  • Flour: Unbleached all purpose flour
  • Powdered Sugar: This is used both in the dough and to dust the tops after baking. Also called icing sugar or confectioners sugar.
  • Butter: Use cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes.
  • Blanched Almond Meal/Flour: I use store bought ground blanched almonds. The package should say “extra-fine” or “super-fine” almond meal or almond flour from whole skinless, blanched almonds. You can also make your own by grinding up some blanched almonds until fine.
  • Vanilla Sugar: Vanilla sugar is a common baking ingredient in Europe and comes in little packets. You can buy the German vanilla sugar packets or use homemade. To make your own, place 1 cup of sugar and the seeds scraped from one vanilla bean in a food processor or blender. Pulse until the seeds are broken up and blended into the sugar.
  • Salt: Just a pinch!
  • Egg Yolks (optional): The addition of 2 egg yolks is optional depending on the texture you prefer. The Vanillekipferln without egg yolks have a more delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture while those including the egg yolks have a slightly more soft cookie like texture. Some people say that the egg yolks also make the dough easier to work with but I didn’t notice too much of a difference.

Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.

Measure the dry ingredients carefully! For this dough to form correctly, the dry ingredients must be measured correctly and the best way to do this is with a digital kitchen scale. It’s the best way to achieve accurate and consistent results every time (also easier and less messy!). I use this Escali kitchen scale but you can also find others on Amazon (some for under $10).

How To Make Vanillekipferl

Let’s start baking!

STEP 1: Mix the dough

Place all the cookie dough ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix together, starting at the lowest speed first (unless you enjoy flour all over your kitchen!) and gradually increasing to a medium speed until a smooth dough forms. At first, it will look like a dry crumbly mixture with no hope of becoming a dough but just wait and watch as it magically comes together while it continues to mix. (Note: You can also knead the dough by hand in a large bowl or use a hand mixer.)

Photo collage showing vanillekipferl dough being mixed in a mixer.

STEP 2: Chill the dough

Shape the dough into a disc or log and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for an hour.

Disc shaped cookie dough wrapped in plastic wrap.

STEP 3: Time to shape!

Before we start shaping the dough, preheat the oven to 350F / 180C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Form tablespoon size scoops of the dough into crescent shapes and place onto the lined baking sheets, leaving some space between them (about 1 inch apart).

Unbaked crescent shaped cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

STEP 4: Bake

Bake one sheet at a time for 10-15 minutes or until the ends just start to turn lightly golden. The cookies should still be fairly pale. Place the second sheet in the fridge until you can bake it.

Vanillekipferl on baking sheet right after baking.

STEP 5: Dust with sugar

Combine powdered sugar and vanilla sugar. Let the cookies sit for a minute and then sift half of the sugar mixture over the hot Vanillekipferln using a small fine mesh sieve or a sifter. Carefully transfer to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Once cooled completely, give them a second dusting with the remaining sugar.

Vanillekipferl dusted with powdered sugar on a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack.
Crescent cookies dusted with powdered sugar on a cooling rack.

How To Shape Vanillekipferl

Everybody has their own technique but this is how I go about creating the crescent shapes. First, roll tablespoon size pieces of the dough into a ball. Then form into a small log with slightly tapered ends but not pointy. Place onto the lined baking sheet and curve the ends in so that it forms a crescent shape.

Photo collage showing how to shape Vanillekipferl (crescent cookies).

Possible Variations

  • Switch the nuts: You could also use ground walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans instead of almonds.
  • Drizzle with chocolate: Drizzle some melted chocolate over the top.
  • Add extra flavors: You could add in some spices like cinnamon or ground cardamom. Or a touch of almond extract to enhance the almond flavor.
Powdered sugar dusted crescent cookies on a sheet of parchment paper.

Tips For Success

Here are 3 tips to help you achieve the perfect Vanillekipferln.

  • Don’t bake them too long! They should not get brown. Only the edges should be lightly golden but the cookie should mostly be pale in color.
  • Use a kitchen scale! This dough will not come together properly if there is too much flour or ground almonds in the mix. Using a kitchen scale guarantees accuracy and consistent results vs. the huge variation you can get filling measuring cups. If you are using the cup measurements, use the spoon and level method (but I highly recommend using a scale!).
  • Chill the dough! Chilled dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking and maintains the shape. The dough is chilled for an hour after mixing it together but you can also chill the formed cookies for 20-30 minutes in the fridge prior to baking. My first sheet usually just goes straight into the oven but I always place my second sheet of cookies in the fridge until they get their turn to be baked.
Christmas themed overlay featuring Vanillekipferln (crescent cookies).

A Few Questions Answered

How do you store them? How long do they last?

Store in an airtight container for up to 2-3 weeks. These tend to get eaten up pretty quickly though!

Can they be frozen?

These almond crescent cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Just make sure to layer parchment paper in between them and store in a container since they are fragile. To defrost, let them sit out at room temperature on a plate for about 30 minutes before serving.

What’s the difference between using egg yolks vs. no egg yolks?

The difference is texture and it comes down to personal preference. Some recipes call for egg yolks and some don’t. After trying both, I left it as an optional ingredient. Adding the egg yolks makes the dough slightly easier to work with but not by much. The biggest difference is in the finished texture of the cookie. The Vanillekipferl with the egg yolks have a softer and slightly denser cookie-like texture whereas those without have a more delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Help! Why didn’t my dough come together?

This is most likely due to using too much flour and ground almonds. Correct measurements are very important in this recipe and the reason why I highly recommend using a kitchen scale. With the correct amounts, the dough will first look crumbly and dry when you start to mix it but then transforms into a smooth dough as you continue mixing. However, if you are having trouble getting your dough to come together, add up to a tablespoon of water (no more!) and mix until the dough forms.

German Vanillekipferl on parchment paper with a small fine mesh sieve filled with powdered sugar.

Here are a few more delicious German cookies to try!

Did you make these Vanillekipferln? I would love to hear about it! Leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram.

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Vanillekipferln (vanilla almond crescent cookies) dusted with powdered sugar and lined up on a square piece of parchment paper.

Vanillekipferln (Vanilla Almond Crescent Cookies)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Vanessa | Maple + Mango
  • Prep Time: 20 min
  • Chill Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 10 min
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 3035 cookies 1x
  • Category: Dessert, Cookies
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: German

Description

Vanillekipferln are crescent-shaped cookies featuring ground almonds, vanilla and a generous dusting of powdered sugar. They are delicate and buttery with a melt-in-your-mouth texture – SO GOOD!


Ingredients

Scale

For cookie dough:

  • 250 grams (2 cups) unbleached all purpose flour
  • 227 grams (1 cup or 2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 125 grams (1 1/4 cups) finely ground blanched almonds (see notes)
  • 120 grams (1 cup) powdered sugar (aka icing sugar or confectioners sugar)
  • 1 packet (2 teaspoons) vanilla sugar (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean)
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • Optional: 2 egg yolks (see notes)

For dusting:

  • 60 grams (1/2 cup) powdered sugar
  • 2 packets (4 teaspoons) vanilla sugar

Instructions

  1. Mix Dough: Place all the cookie dough ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix together, starting at the lowest speed first and gradually increasing to a medium speed until a smooth dough forms.  At first it will look crumbly and dry but will then come together to form a dough as it continues to mix.  (Note: You can also knead the dough by hand or use a hand mixer). 
  2. Chill Dough: Shape the dough into a disc or a log, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for an hour.
  3. Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350F / 180C with rack in center position and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  4. Shape: Form tablespoon size pieces of the dough into crescent shapes with slightly tapered ends (but not pointy).  Place onto the lined baking sheets leaving some space between them (about 1 inch apart).
  5. Bake: Bake one sheet at a time for 10-15 minutes or until the ends just start to turn lightly golden.  They should still be fairly pale.  Tip: Place the second sheet in the fridge until it can be baked to keep the cookies cold.
  6. Dust With Sugar: Combine the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar for dusting.  Let the cookies sit for a minute or two and then sift half the sugar mixture over the hot vanillekipferln using a small fine mesh sieve or a sifter.  Carefully transfer to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet.  Once cooled completely, give them a second dusting with the remaining sugar.  Enjoy!  Store in an airtight container for up to 2-3 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

  • Ground almonds: I use store bought blanched almond meal/flour.  The package should say “extra-fine” or “super-fine” almond meal or almond flour from whole blanched almonds.  You can also make your own by grinding up some blanched almonds until fine.
  • Vanilla sugar: Vanilla sugar is a common baking ingredient in Europe and is sold in little packets.  You can buy the German vanilla sugar packets or use homemade.  Each packet contains about 2 teaspoons of vanilla sugar.  To make your own, place 1 cup of sugar and the seeds scraped from one vanilla bean in a food processor or blender and pulse until combined.
  • Egg yolks vs no egg yolks: The egg yolks are an optional ingredient in this recipe.  It comes down to personal preference.  Adding the egg yolks makes the dough slightly easier to work with (but not by much).  The main difference is in the finished texture of the cookie.  The vanillekipferl with the egg yolks have a softer, slightly denser cookie-like texture whereas those without have a more delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
  • Measure dry ingredients carefully!  For this dough to come together properly, the dry ingredients must be measured correctly.  Using a kitchen scale guarantees accurate and consistent results every time vs. the huge variation you can get filling measuring cups.  If you are using the cup measurements, make sure to use the spoon and level method (but I highly recommend using a scale!).
  • How to shape the vanillekipferl? My technique is to first roll a tablespoon size piece of the dough into a ball.  Then I roll it into a small log with slightly tapered ends.  After placing it onto the prepared baking sheet, I curve the ends in so that it forms a crescent shape.

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Pinterest photo collage graphic showing images of crescent cookies with text overlay "Vanillekipferl Crescent Cookie Recipe".

About Vanessa Gilic

I want to help you make delicious food using real ingredients! Explore a variety of easy to follow, real-food recipes ranging from healthy eats to comfort food. Welcome to Maple + Mango – I'm so happy you're here!

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12 Comments

  1. Romina says:

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE these cookies. Perfect for the holiday season and definitely a must have every year






    1. Vanessa | Maple + Mango says:

      I agree! They are a Christmas must have for me too!

  2. Tawnie Kroll says:

    These are so delicious and were fun to make too. Lovely photography by the way!! Thank you!






    1. Vanessa | Maple + Mango says:

      Thank you! I’m glad that you enjoyed them.

  3. veenaazmanov says:

    Perfect snacking. These look so creative and I love your recipe too. Easy and quick and a must try recipe for sure.






    1. Vanessa | Maple + Mango says:

      Thank you!

  4. Dana Sandonato says:

    These are fantastic and perfect for a holiday cookie exchange! Absolutely loved them.






    1. Vanessa | Maple + Mango says:

      Holiday cookie exchanges are so fun! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!

  5. Sara Welch says:

    Adding these to my holiday baking line up! Will make great gifts this year; definitely too good to pass up!






    1. Vanessa | Maple + Mango says:

      They are such a great cookie for gifting since they stay delicious for a few weeks!

  6. Anjali says:

    These cookies are so adorable and are perfect for the holidays!! Can’t wait to make them with my kids this weekend – I’m sure they will love them!






    1. Vanessa | Maple + Mango says:

      Enjoy the cookies and the memories of baking with your kids!