The Vanillekipferl Austrian Christmas cookies are vanilla and almond-scented treats, typical of the Austrian Christmas tradition and also loved in Trentino Alto Adige and Germany. Their crescent shape and intense vanilla aroma make them unmistakable.
The name Vanillekipferl indeed means “vanilla crescents” — it is said they were Princess Sissi’s favorite cookies, served with a cup of hot chocolate. And who could blame her? They are a real delight!
I had been wanting to make them for a while, and this year they couldn’t be missing among my Christmas sweets, alongside gingerbread cookies and homemade pandoro.
They are simple to make, although forming all the crescents requires a bit of patience, but the aroma wafting from the oven will reward every minute.
Merry Christmas to all of you, with affection
Susy 🎄
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economic
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 62 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Austrian
- Seasonality: Christmas
- Energy 56.19 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 4.79 (g) of which sugars 1.86 (g)
- Proteins 0.92 (g)
- Fat 3.71 (g) of which saturated 1.58 (g)of which unsaturated 0.93 (g)
- Fibers 0.36 (g)
- Sodium 7.69 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 11 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Vanillekipferl Austrian Christmas cookies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.25 cups almond flour
- 12 tbsps butter
- 0.8 cup powdered sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tsps vanilla extract (or seeds or vanilla sugar)
- 1 pinch salt
- as needed vanilla powdered sugar (for decoration)
How to prepare Vanillekipferl Austrian Christmas cookies
In a bowl, mix the softened butter with the powdered sugar until you get a cream. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, mix well, and then add the flours and salt. Knead quickly with your hands, wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Take the dough, take small portions of about 10-11 g, and form sticks about 2.5 inches long. Slightly curve the ends to form a crescent shape. Place the cookies on a baking sheet with parchment paper and let them rest in the fridge for 30 minutes, so they will keep their shape during baking.
Bake the cookies in a preheated static oven at 340°F for about 12 minutes, until they are slightly golden. Let them cool slightly and then coat them in vanilla powdered sugar.
Storage and useful tips
The Vanillekipferl can be perfectly stored for a week in a tin box or an airtight container, maintaining their crispness and aroma.
You can also prepare them with hazelnuts or walnuts instead of almonds, or add a pinch of cinnamon for an even more Christmas-like aroma.
👉 For a more intense effect, dust the cookies twice with powdered sugar: once when they are warm and again when they’ve cooled.
👉 For a more intense effect, dust the cookies twice with powdered sugar: once when they are warm and again when they’ve cooled.
