German Christmas without vanilla crescents would not be imaginable in Germany. These light and soft treats are a classic and so easy to make.

One of the fastest German Christmas cookies are vanilla crescents. The secret to make them so delicious are the finely ground walnuts which makes them not only tasty but keep them moist and tender for many weeks if stored in an airtight container.

How are vanilla crescent Christmas cookies called in German?

Vanilla crescent cookies are called "Vanillekipferl".

How to pronounce "Vanillekipferl"?

Listen to this audio file to learn how to say "Vanillekipferl" in German.

click play button to listen

Authentic German Vanilla Crescent - Vanillekipferl Recipe

Recipe

Vanilla Crescents - Vanillekipferl

Angela Schofield

4.70 from 10 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 10

Total Time 50

Course Cookies

Cuisine Austrian

Servings Cookies

Ingredients

14 tbsp. butter
1 ⅔ cups flour
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla sugar
1 pinch of salt
1 cup finely ground walnuts

Topping

⅓ cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp. vanilla sugar

Instructions

Cut the butter into small cubes.
In a large bowl combine flour, powdered sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, and walnuts.
Add the butter cubes and knead briefly to a soft dough.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Shape the dough into 2-inch long rolls and form cookies into the classic “Kipferl” shape. (see photo)
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets. Allow some spacing as they will rise during baking.
Bake 10 min. or until edges are lightly golden.
Let cool for a couple of minutes.
Sift powdered sugar and vanilla sugar into a flat bowl and blend together.
While still warm, remove cookies from the baking sheets and carefully coat them in the sugar mix.
Place on a plate and allow to cool completely.