The first scent of vanilla sugar in December always feels like home. These Vegan Vanillekipferl Crescent Cookies are delicate, buttery, and melt into sweetness the moment they touch your tongue. Each little crescent feels like a whisper of old Austrian Christmas markets — cozy, simple, and full of charm.
Table of Contents
Ingredient Tips
Flour & Almonds
Use plain flour for a tender crumb. Ground almonds give that classic, nutty warmth you can’t skip. You can also try ground walnuts for a deeper, rustic flavor.
Vegan Butter
Pick a firm, block-style vegan butter like Naturli, Flora Plant, or Miyokos. Soft spreads melt too fast and make the dough tricky. Firm butter keeps those pretty crescent shapes.
Sugar & Vanilla
Use fine sugar for the dough so it mixes easily. Then coat the baked cookies in a light cloud of vanilla icing sugar. If you make your own vanilla sugar, the cookies smell like heaven straight from the oven.
How to Make Vanilla Sugar
Combine granulated sugar with a vanilla pod in a jar. Let it rest for a few days. For a stronger aroma, scrape the seeds into the sugar before sealing it. You can even grind it into powder for dusting. This small step turns each cookie into something truly special.
Step-by-Step: Making Vegan Vanillekipferl Crescent Cookies
Step 1: Make the Dough
In a large bowl, mix flour, ground almonds, and sugar. Add diced vegan butter. Use your hands until it comes together into a smooth dough.
Step 2: Shape and Chill
Divide dough into 4 logs, about 3 cm wide. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour. The cool rest helps the crescents hold their shape.
Step 3: Form the Crescents
Cut the logs into 1 cm pieces. Roll each piece into a short rope with tapered ends, then bend gently into a crescent. Place on lined baking trays.
Step 4: Bake
Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10–12 minutes. Watch for golden tips. Your kitchen will smell like almonds and Christmas magic.
Step 5: Coat with Vanilla Sugar
Let cookies cool for about 5 minutes. They should still be warm but firm. Then roll each one gently in vanilla icing sugar. Work slowly — they’re fragile when hot.
Expert Tips for Perfect Cookies
Always weigh your ingredients. It really makes a difference.
Chill the dough to keep cookies neat and crumbly, not flat.
Use a preheated oven so they bake evenly.
Let them rest before dusting to avoid breakage.
Store them in airtight tins. They taste even better after a day.
Variations
Nut Variations: Use walnuts, hazelnuts, or pistachios instead of almonds.
Chocolate-Dipped Ends: Once cooled, dip the ends in melted vegan dark chocolate.
Festive Coating: Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom to your vanilla sugar for extra warmth.
Vegan Vanillekipferl Crescent Cookies Recipe Card
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Vegan Vanillekipferl Crescent Cookies | Austrian Christmas
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: About 60 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Vegan Vanillekipferl Crescent Cookies with a delicate crumb, nutty almond flavor, and a soft vanilla sugar coat. Classic Austrian and German Christmas cookies that bake crisp at the tips and taste even better the next day. Perfect for tins, gifting, and cozy holiday trays.
Ingredients
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (100 g) ground almonds
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar (caster or granulated)
7 oz (200 g) firm vegan butter, diced
1 cup (120 g) icing sugar or vanilla powdered sugar, for coating
Instructions
1. Mix flour, ground almonds, and sugar in a large bowl.
2. Add diced vegan butter and work it into the dry ingredients until a uniform dough forms.
3. Divide dough into 4 logs about 3 cm wide. Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line baking trays with parchment.
5. Slice each log into 1 cm pieces. Roll each piece into a short rope with tapered ends.
6. Bend ropes into crescents and place on trays with a little space between.
7. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until the tips just start to brown.
8. Cool 5 to 10 minutes until set but still warm, then gently roll in vanilla icing sugar.
9. Transfer to a rack, cool completely, and add a final dusting before serving.
Notes
Vegan butter: use a firm block such as Naturli, Flora Plant, Miyokos, or Earth Balance for clean shaping.
Homemade vanilla sugar: add a split vanilla pod to a jar of granulated sugar for a few days. For a stronger aroma, scrape the seeds in. Grind to powder for dusting.
Accuracy: weigh ingredients for best texture and consistent crescents.
Chill time: colder dough shapes faster and spreads less in the oven.
Dust while warm: cookies are fragile, so handle gently and let them firm slightly before coating.
Yield: about 60 cookies across 4 trays.
Storage: keep in airtight tins for up to 3 weeks. Flavor blooms after a day.
Variations: swap almonds with ground walnuts, pistachios, or hazelnuts. Or dip cooled ends in melted vegan dark chocolate.
Serving: add a final snowfall of vanilla sugar right before gifting or plating.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Christmas Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Austrian, German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 56
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 22 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
More Such Recipes
Try Lemon Crinkle Cookies – a zesty and soft cookie alternative for a citrus twist.
Bake Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies – rich, festive treats perfect for holiday platters for chocolate lovers.
Or, when you’re short on time, make Easy No-Bake Cookies – quick and sweet options for your Christmas dessert table.
FAQ
Q1: Can I freeze Vanillekipferl dough?
Yes. Wrap logs tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before shaping and baking.
Q2: Why did my cookies spread too much?
The dough was probably too warm. Chill it longer or use firmer vegan butter next time.
Q3: How long do these cookies stay fresh?
In airtight tins, they last up to 3 weeks and actually taste better after a day or two.
Final Thoughts
These Vegan Vanillekipferl Crescent Cookies carry the heart of European Christmas in every crumb. They’re simple, nostalgic, and perfect for gifting or sharing over warm tea. As they rest, the vanilla deepens, the texture softens, and every bite feels like a memory waiting to happen.
If you’d like more cozy vegan bakes, follow along on Pinterest or Facebook for new seasonal recipes every week.