It’s official, Christmas cookie-baking season is back again, and I can hardly wait. Every year I’ve made it a mission to veganize (and make gluten-free) at least one new cookie recipe, like vegan gingerbread cookies, coconut macaroons, and now these vanilla crescent cookies (aka Vanillekipferl). They’re perfect for taking to Christmas potlucks, gifting, and enjoying with hot chocolate and mulled wine all holiday season.
What Are Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Crescent Cookies)?
Vanillekipferl (also called Viennese crescent cookies) are Austrian vanilla crescent cookies with a melt-in-the-mouth texture and are moon-shaped cookies. They’re popular in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and several other European countries, and a must-have during the holiday period! They’re traditionally made with simple shortbread cookie ingredients, like butter, flour, sugar, sometimes egg yolk, and vanilla, and flavored with ground nuts (usually ground walnuts, though ground hazelnuts or almonds also work) and a liberal dusting of vanilla sugar. For my recipe, though, not only am I ditching all animal products, but I’ve made them healthier with dates and nut butter instead of sugar and regular butter. The resulting kipferl cookies taste absolutely delicious, but are far healthier than the original. In fact, they’re gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free, and refined-sugar-free, but still sweet, soft, and delicious! These aren’t the first nut-based Christmas cookie I’ve shared either, with German hazelnut cookies, vegan thumbprint cookies, and cinnamon stars (Zimtsterne) all making my favorites list. The nutty base makes them soft, chewy, and delicious – plus, they’re all perfect for baking with family this Christmas!
The Vanillekipferl Ingredients
You only need a few pantry-friendly ingredients to prepare this Vanillekipferl recipe.
What Else Could I add To Vanilla Crescent Cookies?
Orange zest: Add about 1 teaspoon of orange zest for a subtle citrus flavor in the crescent moon cookies. Almond extract: To enhance the nutty flavor in this crescent cookie recipe, add just ¼-1/2 tsp. Chocolate: Instead of the powdered sugar, half dip or dip both ends of the kipferl cookies into dark chocolate.
Please read the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information.
How to Make Vanillekipferl Cookies?
First, add all the ingredients (except the icing sugar) to a food processor and blend for 10-20 seconds until combined into a dough.
If the dough is too crumbly, add a tiny bit of plant-based milk and process for a few more seconds.
Then, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and transfer it to the fridge to chill for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 356° F/180° C and line a baking sheet/ cookie sheet with parchment paper. Then, divide the cookie dough into two pieces and roll each piece into a thick rope about 1 ½-2 inches (4-5 cm) in diameter. Next, slice the ropes into 0.6 inch (1 ½ cm) slices and roll each of those into a rope shape, bending the ends inwards to form a C shape (refer to the video).
Optionally, you can slightly pinch the ends for a more tapered look to the crescent shape.
Transfer the vanilla crescent cookies to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.
Finally, allow the cookies to cool on a cooling rack, dust them liberally with powdered sugar/Erythritol, and enjoy!
Storage Instructions
Make ahead: You can prepare the dough for these Austrian Christmas cookies a day in advance and store it covered overnight in a bowl in the refrigerator. Allow it to sit at room temperature for just a few minutes before continuing with the recipe. Store: Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of weeks. Freeze: It’s best to freeze almond crescent cookies without the sugar topping. Spread them on a large tray to flash freeze, then transfer them to a Ziplock bag for several months. Leave to thaw at room temperature, dust, and enjoy as required.
How to make your own almond flour?
Grind blanched almonds in a coffee/spice grinder or a high-speed blender until floury and optionally sieve to remove any larger bits of ground almonds.
How to make vanilla sugar?
Combine the seeds from one vanilla pod with 1-2 cups of sugar* (based on the strength of the vanilla flavor you want) in a food processor and pulse for 10-20 seconds until well-mixed and more powdery. Then leave it to infuse for at least 1 week in an airtight container, adding the empty vanilla pod/ vanilla bean for further infused flavor. *For a sugar-free version, you can do the same with a sugar alternative, like Erythritol.
Can I use almond meal instead of almond flour?
Yes, though any nut meal (i.e., with the skins on) will cause brown flecks in the vanille kipferl and make darker cookies. They’re also slightly grainier.
Recipe Notes and Top Tips
Adjust the consistency: When baked until just lightly browned on the edges, these Vanillekipferl crescent cookies will be soft in the middle. However, if you bake them for slightly longer, they’ll become crisper. Be patient: Shaping the crescent moon cookies may take some time if you’re new to it. The dough can also crack sometimes, but you should be able to smooth away any crack with a slightly damp finger. Using different nuts: Note that the color of the moon-shaped cookies will change based on the type of nuts you use. Adding the powdered sugar: If you add it while the cookies are still warm (5-10 minutes out of the oven), it will adhere better, but if it’s too warm, it will melt/soak in. Also, add as much as you’d like. Don’t skip the chill: This is important to firm up the nut butter and achieve the correct dough consistency for shaping and baking.
More Vegan Christmas Sweet Recipes
Marzipan (almond paste) Homemade vegan Ferrero Rocher No-bake chocolate salami Vegan fruit cake Chocolate mini mousse cake (no-bake) Vegan Gingerbread Cake 2-Ingredient condensed milk chocolate truffles
If you try this gluten-free, vegan Vanillekipferl recipe, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, please don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan and #elavegan—I love seeing them.
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