Vanillekipferl (German Vanilla Crescent Cookies) are traditional German Christmas Cookies made with ground nuts and dusted with vanilla sugar! They are tender, nutty and melt in your mouth. A perfect cookie to make ahead that’s always a hit.
Vanillekipferl are small, crescent-shaped cookies with a heavy dusting of vanilla sugar which gives them their typical flavor. The little croissant shaped cookies are a real classic German Christmas cookie and
Probably every German grandmother makes Vanillekipferl at Christmas time. But they can also be enjoyed all year round!You only need a few ingredients to make them and they keep fresh for weeks. Like German Gingerbread and Traditional German Stollen, they get even tastier after a few days in my opinion.
One of my favorite Christmas memories is baking cookies with my Oma (that’s the German word for Grandmother). I always made sure there were enough cookie dough scraps for me and my Grandfather to enjoy. Both my grandmothers always made many different cookies during Christmas time. One even made about 20 different ones, I really don’t know how she accomplished that but I loved going through all the cookie tins and filling my cookie plate with all my favorite Plätzchen (German for cookies). These Vanillekipferl were one of them!
Tips and Tricks for Making this Vanillekipferl Recipe
- Vanillekipferl are made WITHOUT eggs! Eggs (and baking powder) are not used in traditional recipes, you won’t get the same melt-in-your-mouth texture if you are using eggs.
- The dough should always stay cold while you are shaping the cookies. Take only 1/4 of the dough out of the fridge so the remaining dough stays cold. Shaping the crescents might take a little bit especially if you’re doing it for the first time.
- Make sure your crescents are all the same size so they bake evenly.
- Don’t bake them too long! They should not brown, only the edges should be a little bit golden but the cookie should be pale.
- In my opinion, dusting the vanilla cookies with vanilla sugar works better than dipping them. It’s easier (and safer) because you don’t have to touch the hot cookies and dip each one into the sugar. Sprinkle the cookies with half of the vanilla sugar immediately after you take the cookie sheet out of the oven and then repeat the process when they are cooled completely.
- Store the cookies in a cookie tin. That’s the way it’s done in Germany. The cookies will stay fresh for weeks in a cold and dry place.
How to make Vanillekipferl
Traditional Vanillekipferl are made without eggs or baking powder. The only binding agents are the butter and the nuts. When you make them for the first time you might think this recipe won’t work because when you combine all the ingredients and start mixing the mixture will look very dry and crumbly. Don’t worry, the mixture will come together after about a minute or so.
You will get a dough that looks like crumbs at first, press the crumbs together with your hands to form it into a ball. Don’t handle the dough too much you don’t want the butter to get warm. Chill it for an hour and then form crescents.
German Vanilla Crescent Cookies are only baked for about 15 minutes until the edges are lightly golden, you don’t want them too brown. Take the pan out of the oven and dust them with vanilla sugar. Many recipes say you should dip them in the sugar mixture but I find it easier to dust them because the cookies break very easily.
These cookies keep fresh in an airtight container for up to 3-4 weeks. But most of the time they’re all eaten long before then!
How to make Vanilla Sugar for German Vanilla Crescent Cookies
For this recipe, you need vanilla sugar (German: Vanillezucker). The Kipferl are dusted with a mixture of vanilla sugar and powdered sugar, this is a very important step to make them.
You can buy Vanilla sugar (see link above the recipe) or make your own. It’s really easy and you can use it also for your coffee or other recipes that use sugar and vanilla. Vanilla sugar is used in many traditional German recipes instead of vanilla extract which is difficult to get in Germany.
To make your own vanilla sugar you need 1 cup sugar and 1 vanilla bean. Place the sugar into the bowl of a food processor. Scrape out the vanilla bean using the back of a knife and add the scraped out seeds to the bowl. Pulse the sugar and vanilla seeds until well combines and the sugar resembles powdered sugar.
Store your vanilla sugar in an airtight container or mason jar in a cold and dry place. I always add the scraped out vanilla pod to the jar this adds even more vanilla flavor.
Looking for more traditional German Christmas Recipes?
- German Lebkuchen Recipe {Elisenlebkuchen}
- German Gingerbread Spice Mix
- Traditional German Stollen for Christmas
- German Christmas Punch (Kinderpunsch)
- Easy Cinnamon Candied Almonds
Tools and Ingredients used for making this recipe
Vanilla Sugar: This one is made with real vanilla, don’t buy one with artificial vanilla! The cheapest way is to make your own.
Ground Almonds: This almond meal/flour is made from finely ground almonds and perfect for making Vanilla Crescent Cookies. You can use almond meal with or without the skins or use the same amount of ground hazelnuts or walnuts.
Cookie Tins: Storing the cookies in cookie tins like my Grandmother always did keeps them fresh for weeks.
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Vanillekipferl (German Vanilla Crescent Cookies)
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spoon and level
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¾ cup finely ground almonds, or hazelnuts or walnuts
- ½ vanilla pod, seeds scraped out or 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the sugar mixture:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ vanilla pod
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine flour, salt, cubed butter, powdered sugar, nuts, and vanilla seeds. Mix at medium speed until a crumbly dough forms, about 1-2 minutes. If the dough is too crumbly add 1-2 Tbsp milk.
- Use your hands to press the dough together and wrap it in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for one hour in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line one or two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the chilled dough into a log approximately 1/2 inch thick. Cut the log into 1 1/2-inch pieces, form the pieces into small cylinders and taper the ends into dull points. Bend each one into a crescent shape. Place the Vanillekipferl on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Bake the Vanillekipferl one cookie sheet at a time for 12 to 15 min (depending on the size of the cookies) until the edges are golden. They should not brown.
- Scrape out vanilla pod and combine with powered sugar. This works great in a small food processor. Sift the mixture over the hot Vanillekipferl. Let them cool completely then give them a second dusting.
- These cookies keep fresh for about 3 weeks in an airtight container stored in a cool place.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Watch how to make them!
We posted this recipe 2 years ago. Today we’ve updated the photos, improved the recipe, and included a video tutorial to show you how easy these cookies are to make.
Lauren says
Is the Vanilla sugar absolutely crucial when topping the cookies or can I just do the powdered sugar? I do not own any and do not have vanilla pods either to make my own… will the cookie still be just as good?
Julia Foerster says
You can just use powdered sugar, the cookies will still be delicious!
Jasmin says
I put an extra stick of butter not paying attention. Now what !?
Julia Foerster says
Oh no! You could double the whole recipe.
Leila says
One of my favourite traditional Christmas cookies. Easy to follow – fun to make… and delicious! Thank you!
Kris Marie says
Very confusing, the recipe says soft cubed butter, the video which I watched 5x says cold butter, so which is it please? Want to make these for Christmas.
Julia Foerster says
Sorry, Kris! I will change this right away. You need cold butter cut into small cubes for this recipe.
stephanie z says
Hi Julia! Can I make the dough ahead of time and leave it in the fridge overnight to bake the next day?
Julia Foerster says
Yes, you can refrigerate the dough overnight. Merry Christmas, Stephanie!
Shierley Miller says
Julia, I tried kipferl recipe before and it tasted like nothing. I wanted to make some more but was afraid to try, until I saw your posting.
I thought it sounded so good and that you know your vanillekipferl inside and out from all those tips you shared.
So I made 2 batches tonight. It’s almost 11 pm and I already ate half a batch all by myself. I don’t care about weight gain tonight. Not with these delicious warm vanilla babies.
By God, this recipe is a classic and will stay in my folder. They are AMAZING. I used ground walnut as you advised and I added a little bit of almond for crunch. Mmmm…mmmmm…mmmm. Can’t talk anymore because my mouth is full..
Thank you, and thank you, for bringing the magic of vanillekipferl back into my life ❤️❤️❤️
Svetlana says
Absolutely fantastic! Irresistible.
Ellie Politi says
A really great cookie which I will definitely make again.
Christine Lynch says
I used vegan butter and they came out great! Thank you for sharing this recipe. Hi from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada : )
No name says
I have worked very hard to keep this cookie A FAMILY SECRET, which is not quite German but a specific area (which I don’t want to name as a Google search might then bring to this site). It’s very sad that you’re airing this recipe.
Name Nachname says
I don’t know where you are from, but I am from Austria and I guarantee you that we ALL know this recipe off by heart basically. What nonsense to want to keep it secret. Even if you tried it’s so obvious what the cookie is made of.
karin galm says
i am in my late 50s and have been making these for so many years since i had my two sons. there isnt a person that never likes them out of all the other cookies i made and i used to sell baked goods and these were the most wanted of all. every canadian loves these tons as theyve never had them and thats the best part is to make something that people love and cant wait til the next year when i make them again to give ………..as i will this year again. from my heart of course.
Mary A Buell says
I am ready to form into crescents. Do cookies go on greased or ungreased cookie sheets?
Julia says
Ungreased cookie sheets. You can use parchment paper on them!
Carey Ellison says
Question – is the “3/4 c of almonds” the amount of them whole and then use the flour/meal they create or does the final floured amount need to equal 3/4c (and how much whole almonds do you think that would be?)
Julia says
The final ground amount should equal 3/4 cup. About 3/4 cup whole almonds should make 3/4 cup finely ground almonds.
Carey says
Thanks! Took to an Oktoberfest party and the host whose mom was born and raised in Germany said they were perfect and just like how her mom made them!
Janice says
Hi.
No problems making the cookies. Smell absolutely like I want to eat them all right out of the oven. But hark, they need an additional dusting of vanilla sugar.;)
How many dozen cookies does this recipe make?
Thank you!
Phil says
Everything was going great . . . until post-chill. No matter what I did it was too crumbly. It smelled delicious but crumbly. What I did then, to salvage the situation, was to take a portions worth and press it together in my hand over and over – almost like kneading – until it held the shape. They were not as pretty but it was a crescent. End result? Delicious. I also did not dust the sugars on. I rolled it once top and bottom before putting it on the wire rack and then again before I put it in the container – shaking off the excess. That was just a personal preference. Crumble aside, sorry, a tasty crumble aside all went well.
Christine says
Hi Julia, I just made the dough, let it rest in the fridge for an hour and when I tried to roll it it kept on crumbling. Is there a way to rescue my dough?
Julia says
Try cutting the dough into 4 parts and knead every part by hand until it is smooth. Then shape the parts into rolls, cut them into pieces and form the crescents. Cool them for at least 30 mins so the butter in the dough gets cool again. Hope that helps!
jeanelleats says
The recipe was delicious! However, they became super spread out that it almost looks like a full circle cookie instead of the beautiful crescent shape. What did I do wrong? I baked it straight out of the freezer, 350F for 13 min.
Julia says
Mmh not sure what happened, they should not spread that much. Perhaps because you baked them straight out of the freezer, how long were they frozen?
Cally says
The easiest way I’ve found to grind the nuts is to use a blender, and just drop a few at a time in thru the top opening, Cover the opening with your fingers and just drip a few at a time while blender is running between your fingers. Result is fluffy, not stuck together, very similar to the result if you actually grate each nut on a grater (which Mom did back before blenders).
The cookies can be made into balls rolling between your palms, then squashed down a little with the bottom of a glass, These take the same baking time as the crescents, but are way faster to make.
Mom also had the wooden form, and actually weighed each portion of dough so they would all be the same. Lots of work but still a family favorite.
Trudy Maynard says
Hi Julia…
Your recipe calls for 2 cups, or 250 grams of flour. However, 2 cups of flour is 280 grams.
My friend just tried to make this, and measured 2cups of flour, as stated in your recipe.
All that flour has made the dough very dry, and its impossible to form Kipferl from that.
Please note that 2 cups do not always equal 250 grams. It depends on what you’re measuring.
I’m german, and grew up metric.
Julia says
Hi Trudy, A cup of all-purpose flour weighs 4 1/4 ounces or 120 grams. So 2 cups are actually 240g. Many people measure incorrectly and just scoop flour with a measuring cup out of the bag of flour, this results in too much flour. To measure correctly, your friend should always spoon the flour with a spoon into the measuring cup and then level the cup with the back of a knife. Even though I live in Canada I was born in Germany so I have a lot of experience converting metric to imperial and the other way round :) Happy Holidays!
Emily says
Wonderful!! My family loves them. I did use almond flour but added 1 1/2 tbs water (helped with binding tremendously).
Kaitlin Luksa says
Is it possible to substitute the vanilla pod with vanilla extract?
Julia says
Yes, you can use 1-2 tsp vanilla extract in the dough instead of a vanilla pod.