Vanillekipferl (Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cookies bars Vanilla: Beans Medium

Vanillekipferl (Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies)

A short, crumbly dough of butter, flour and ground nuts is shaped into small crescents, baked pale and dusted while warm with vanilla-scented powdered sugar. Makes 40 cookies in about 1 hr 44 min.

Prep 30 min

Cook 14 min

Cooling 1 hr

Total 1 hr 44 min

Yield 40 cookies

Ingredients

Adjust yield

2 cups (250 g)all-purpose flour
¾ cup (175 g)unsalted butter, cold, cubed
1 cup (100 g)ground almonds
⅓ cup (70 g)granulated sugar
2 (36 g)egg yolks
1vanilla bean, seeds scraped, for the dough
1 pinchfine salt
¾ cup (100 g)powdered sugar
1vanilla bean, seeds scraped and rubbed into the sugar, for the coating

Fresh ingredient guides

AlmondsHow to pick, season & nutrition · 188 kcal per 30 g

Baking tools for this recipe

Convert to grams Scale it Change the pan

Instructions

Combine the flour, ground almonds, sugar, salt and vanilla seeds. Add the butter and yolks and work quickly with your fingertips into a smooth dough.
Wrap and chill at least 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 325 F (165 C). Line two baking sheets with parchment.
Pinch off pieces about 1 tablespoon each, roll into short ropes about 2 1/2 inches (6 cm) long with slightly thinner ends and curve into crescents.
Place 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on the sheets and bake 12 to 14 minutes, until just golden at the edges and still pale on top.
Rub the vanilla seeds into the powdered sugar. Roll the warm cookies gently in the sugar, then again when cool.

Tips

Work with cold dough; warm dough makes greasy cookies.
Handle the warm cookies carefully because they are very tender.
Replace some almonds with hazelnuts for the other traditional version.
Good with hot tea or mulled wine.

Made this?

Log it to keep your bakes, ratings and notes together in My Kitchen.

Be the first to share one.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make vanillekipferl (austrian vanilla crescent cookies)?

Plan on 30 minutes of prep and 14 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour to chill. The recipe makes 40 cookies.

How should I store vanillekipferl (austrian vanilla crescent cookies)?

Store airtight at room temperature up to 3 weeks.

Can I make vanillekipferl (austrian vanilla crescent cookies) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped, for the dough. Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Serve it with hot tea or mulled wine.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 40 servings this recipe makes.

88 Calories / serving

5.1g Fat

9.7g Carbs

1.3g Protein

4.4g Sugar

Whole recipe (40 servings): ~3520 cal · 204g fat · 388g carbs · 52g protein · 176g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.