WHAT ARE VANILLEKIPFERL-Vanilla Crescents?
Vanillekipferl are Austrian / German Christmas cookies. They are also popular in Croatia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Hungary. Their name means vanilla crescents in German.
Vanilla Crescent Cookies are near and dear to the heart of every Austrian. No Christmas cookie platter would be complete without them. The recipe below is my husband’s family recipe and he makes Vanilla Crescents for us every year. They are delicate, tender and melt in your mouth
Melt-in-your mouth vanilla crescent cookies. These Austrian / German Christmas cookies will be a hit at your holiday table! Vanillekipferl are delicious buttery nut cookies flavored with vanilla, and dusted with vanilla sugar. We are making them every year for Christmas. They also make a great Christmas gift.
According to the most famous legend, they were invented by Viennese bakers, who, in order to celebrate the victory of Jan III Sobieski over the Turkish army in 1683 and their exile from Vienna, decided to create a baked good that resembled the moon from the Turkish flag.
Vanillekipferl are traditionally shortbread cookies, meaning they're made with a high butter content and generally without the addition of egg. You'll find some recipes that call for eggs and as many or more that do not (especially ones in German). It's up to personal preference. Though adding an egg yolk or two will make the dough much easier to work with (softer and more pliable), I prefer the texture of Vanillekipferl made without eggs. The dough is very challenging to work with but the result in my opinion is far superior - the crumb is lighter, looser and crumbly with a wonderful melt-in-your-mouth texture.
This legend, although very popular, is not entirely true. Crescent-shaped baked goods (not cookies) were already popular in these regions in the 13th century and they were also a precursor to the famous French croissant (!). Apparently, crescent-shaped baked goods were presented to the French by Marie Antoinette, the daughter of the Austrian Duchess Maria Theresa, who married a Frenchman and took Kipferl with her when she moved to France.
In Austria and the neighboring regions, Vanillekipferl became popular only in the 19th century, when artificial vanilla was discovered and the cost of making cookies has dropped significantly and became available to ‘ordinary’ people, not just aristocrats.
Popular throughout Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, these cookies are a popular favorite, especially at Christmas time, though enjoyed year-round and found in virtually every Viennese coffee house.
Vanillekipferl are traditionally shortbread cookies, meaning they're made with a high butter content and generally without the addition of egg. You'll find some recipes that call for eggs and as many or more that do not (especially ones in German). It's up to personal preference. Though adding an egg yolk or two will make the dough much easier to work with (softer and more pliable), I prefer the texture of Vanillekipferl made without eggs. The dough is very challenging to work with but the result in my opinion is far superior - the crumb is lighter, looser and crumbly with a wonderful melt-in-your-mouth texture.
This legend, although very popular, is not entirely true. Crescent-shaped baked goods (not cookies) were already popular in these regions in the 13th century and they were also a precursor to the famous French croissant (!). Apparently, crescent-shaped baked goods were presented to the French by Marie Antoinette, the daughter of the Austrian Duchess Maria Theresa, who married a Frenchman and took Kipferl with her when she moved to France.
In Austria and the neighboring regions, Vanillekipferl became popular only in the 19th century, when artificial vanilla was discovered and the cost of making cookies has dropped significantly and became available to ‘ordinary’ people, not just aristocrats.
Popular throughout Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary, these cookies are a popular favorite, especially at Christmas time, though enjoyed year-round and found in virtually every Viennese coffee house.
Bake The WORLD'S Most Healthiest Bread At Home!
Vanillekipferl owe their melt-in-your-mouth texture to the high butter content and the absence of egg. They’re a shortbread cookie made with the addition of nuts and a generous dusting of vanilla sugar, which you can either buy ready made or easily make it yourself (see further below).Though popular throughout much of Europe, Vanillekipferl originated in Vienna, Austria around 400 years ago when, in celebration of a victory over the Ottoman Turks, the locals created this pastry in the shape of the crescent moon (“kipferl”) found on the Turkish banner.
INGREDIENTS
Vanillekipferl are really simple and are made with just 4 main ingredients: nuts, flour, sugar, and butter.
- Ground nuts – almonds and walnuts are most often used but I’ve also seen recipes with hazelnuts. I tested this recipe with skin-on almonds, peeled toasted almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts. I liked the most version with skin-on almonds and walnuts. You can buy ground almonds (make sure they smell nice and are not stale) or grind them yourself (use a food processor, but don’t pulse too much or you will make almond butter) or use almond flour.
- Butter – use good quality unsalted butter with 82% fat, don’t substitute butter for margarine, these cookies are made with only few ingredients you can really taste the difference.
- Vanilla sugar – vanilla crescent cookies are traditionally made with vanilla sugar. Vanilla sugar is granulated sugar flavored with vanilla beans. It’s added to the dough and it’s used to dust the baked cookies. Many recipes will tell you, you either must buy vanilla sugar or make it yourself, but I tested this recipe with vanilla extract which is more available in some countries that vanilla sugar, and they tasted just the same. If you would like to make your own vanilla sugar though, it’s actually very simple.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN VANILLA SUGAR?
Simply place vanilla beans in a container or ziploc bag of white granulated sugar. Seal shut and let it sit a few weeks, shaking occasionally. Discard the vanilla beans – your vanilla sugar is ready to use! How many vanilla beans you use depends on how strong you want the flavor and how much sugar you’re making. I make my own homemade vanilla extract and use those beans to make sugar – it’s a great way to make double use of the beans (I explain it further in the vanilla extract post).experience that heavenly Vanillekipferl melting in your mouth!TIPS:
- The best (and authentic) crescent vanilla cookies are made with no eggs, egg yolks or baking powder.
- The cookies are flavored with vanilla on the inside and on the outside (double-delicious).
- When shaping the crescents the dough will be a little crumbly but this is how it should be (remember the cookies will reward you with its delicate texture!).
- Let the dough rest in the fridge, this step can not be omitted.
- Don’t overwork the dough, the cookies will be tough.
- Keep the dough cold at all times. When shaping the cookies, take only 1 log out of the fridge at a time.
- Try to make the cookies the same size so that they bake evenly.
- Don’t bake the cookies for too long. They will not look ready when you take them out of the oven. They should be pale and soft, only their edges may be a little golden.
- Dusting the cookies works best. They are just too fragile to dip them in vanilla sugar when warm and when cooled, the sugar won’t stick to them very well.
STORAGE
These cookies can be stored in a tightly-closed cookie tin for up to 3 weeks (if they last that long).
- Course: Dessert
- Cuisine: Austrian
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Servings: 36 Crescents
INGREDIENTS:
MAKES 36- 175g/6oz/1 cup unblanched almonds
- 115g/4oz/1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
- Pinch of salt
- 225g/8oz/1 cup unsalted (sweet) butter
- 115g/4oz/ generous ½ cup granulated sugar
- 5ml/1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Icing (confectioners') sugar, for dusting
STEPS:
- Grind the almonds with a few tablespoons of the flour in a food processor, blender or nut grinder.
- Sift the remaining flour with the salt into a bowl. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the almond vanilla essence and the flour mixture. Stir to mix well. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap in baking parchment, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.
- Break off walnut-size pieces of dough and roll into small cylinders about 1/2 in in diameter. Bend into small crescents and place on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until dry but not brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool only slightly. Set the rack over a baking sheet and dust with an even layer of icing sugar. Leave to cool completely.
World’s Healthiest Bread...
Nutrition Serving: Amount Per Serving
Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 8mg | Iron: 0.4mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Calcium: 8mg.