Vanilla Kipferl also known as German vanilla crescent cookies are a delicious melt in your mouth cookie. This annual cookie tradition is one we look forward to every year!
Vanilla Kipferl
These cookies are like a traditional shortbread only with the addition of ground nuts, Vanilla Kipferl or vanillekipferl are a traditional Christmas cookie one really must try to appreciate. Getting the crescent shape can take a little work and rolling, but in the end they will taste delicious regardless of what they look like.
Our German student gave these cookies two thumbs up while she was living with us and said they reminded her of her Oma!
Family Traditions
Some traditions just stick with you from childhood and others you create on your own. I recall my mom making these cookies in the years before I moved away. They definitely remind me of home and the few good times we shared.
We made these for my daughter’s Brownie Badge Work cultural celebration. It was so much fun to make these with my little girl.
Finishing the cookie
The key to these cookies is rolling them in vanilla sugar or icing sugar shortly after they come out of the oven.
These days you can buy vanilla sugar already pre-made, make your own with white sugar and a vanilla bean or buy Vanille Zucker, a German vanilla sugar available in small sachets at your local European market.
Christmas cookies to add to your baking list:
- Christmas Gingerbread Bowl
- Eggnog Sugar Cookies with Candy Cane Sprinkles
- Merry Cherry Ice Box Cookies
- Candy Cane Cookies
If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans and please comment below!
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 3/4 ground almonds
- 1 cup butter cold
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- vanilla sugar or icing sugar for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F.
- Combine flour, sugar, icing sugar and ground almonds in a bowl. Cut cold butter into smaller chunks. Working quickly cut in butter with pastry blender. Add egg and vanilla.
- Stir to mix and knead into a dough. If mixture feels a little dry add a couple drops of water.
- Shape dough into logs. Cut off approximately 1/2 inch pieces. Shape each piece into a crescent and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are starting to brown. Remove from oven and gently toss with either icing sugar or regular white sugar.
These taste exactly like the ones my Tante Lisalotte used to make!
We love these cookies. Thanks for the recipe.