Welcome to the ultimate guide to baking the most delicate, buttery, and utterly irresistible almond crescent cookies. These melt-in-your-mouth treats, known as Vanillekipferl in Germany and Austria, are a holiday classic for a reason. With a dusting of powdered sugar that dissolves on your tongue and a rich, nutty flavor, this recipe will become a treasured part of your Christmas baking tradition.
We’ve perfected this recipe to ensure you get flawless, bakery-quality results every single time. Forget cookies that spread too thin or crumble apart; this guide is your key to perfect crescents.
What Are Almond Crescent Cookies?
Almond crescent cookies, or Vanillekipferl, are a traditional European Christmas biscuit originating from Vienna, Austria. Their signature features are a distinct crescent shape, a delicate, sandy texture from ground almonds, and a generous coating of vanilla-infused powdered sugar. Unlike many American cookies, they contain no eggs, which contributes to their uniquely tender, shortbread-like crumb.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Melt-in-Your-Mouth Texture: The combination of cold butter and almond flour creates an incredibly delicate and tender cookie that simply dissolves on the palate.
Simple, High-Quality Ingredients: You don’t need a long list of fancy ingredients to create these elegant cookies. It’s all about using good quality butter, vanilla, and almonds.
Perfect for Gifting: These beautiful cookies hold their shape well and look stunning in a holiday cookie tin. They are the perfect homemade gift for friends, family, and neighbors. Check out our other favorite Christmas recipes for more ideas!
A No-Fail Guide: We’ve packed this guide with tips and tricks to troubleshoot common issues, ensuring your almond crescent cookies come out perfectly.
The Essential Ingredients
The magic of these cookies lies in their simplicity. Here’s what you’ll need:
Unsalted Butter: Must be cold, straight from the fridge. This is crucial for the cookie’s texture and to prevent spreading.
Powdered Sugar: Used in the dough for a fine crumb and for the signature snowy coating.
All-Purpose Flour: Provides the main structure for the cookies.
Almond Flour: The star ingredient! Use finely ground blanched almond flour for the most delicate, classic texture.
Vanilla Extract: Use a high-quality pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Salt: A small pinch enhances all the other flavors.
Perfectly baked crescents, just waiting for their snowy sugar coating.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Almond Crescent Cookies
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cold, cubed butter and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until it’s light and fluffy. This incorporates air and creates a tender base.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt.
Form the Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until a crumbly dough begins to form. Add the vanilla extract and mix just until combined. Do not overmix!
Chill the Dough: Form the dough into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This is the most important step to prevent the cookies from spreading while baking.
Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Shape the Crescents: Take a tablespoon of chilled dough and roll it into a small log about 3 inches long, tapering the ends slightly. Gently curve the log into a crescent shape and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, placing cookies about 1 inch apart.
Bake to Perfection: Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn a very light golden brown. The cookies should look pale, not deeply browned.
Coat with Sugar: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for just 2-3 minutes—they need to be warm, not hot. Gently roll each warm cookie in a bowl of powdered sugar to coat. Place them on a wire rack to cool completely. For an extra snowy look, you can dust them with more powdered sugar once cool.
Pro Tips for Bakery-Quality Results
Don’t Skip the Chill: Chilling the dough solidifies the butter. When the cold butter hits the hot oven, it creates steam, which results in a lighter, more tender cookie that holds its shape.
Uniform Size is Key: Use a cookie scoop or a kitchen scale to ensure your dough portions are all the same size. This helps the cookies bake evenly.
Handle With Care: These cookies are very delicate, especially when warm. Be gentle when rolling them in powdered sugar to avoid breakage.
Work in Batches: If your kitchen is warm, keep half of the dough in the refrigerator while you shape the first batch of cookies to ensure it stays firm.
The secret to these cookies is their incredible melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Fun Variations to Try
While the classic recipe is divine, here are a few ways to mix it up:
Chocolate-Dipped Crescents: Melt dark or white chocolate and dip one end of the cooled cookies into the chocolate. Place on parchment paper until the chocolate sets.
Spiced Crescents: Add 1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom or cinnamon to the dry ingredients for a warm, spiced flavor profile.
Nutty Swaps: For a different flavor, try substituting the almond flour with finely ground hazelnuts or pecans. We have a whole collection of wonderful pecan desserts if you love that nutty flavor!
Storing Your Almond Crescents
To maintain their delicate texture, store the completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They are best enjoyed within a week. You can also freeze the unbaked dough for up to 3 months. Simply thaw in the refrigerator before shaping and baking.
The most common reason is that the dough was not cold enough. The butter needs to be solid to prevent spreading. Chilling the dough for at least one hour is essential. Over-mixing the dough can also develop gluten, leading to a tougher cookie that spreads.
Absolutely. Chilling the dough is the most critical step for this recipe. It solidifies the fat (butter), which prevents the cookies from spreading into flat discs in the oven and helps them maintain their lovely crescent shape.
While you can, it will change the cookie’s identity. Almond flour provides the signature nutty flavor and delicate, sandy texture. Using only all-purpose flour will result in a cookie that is much closer to a standard shortbread.
Use about a tablespoon of dough for each cookie. Roll it into a log that is slightly thicker in the middle and tapered at the ends. Then, gently curve the ends inward to form a ‘C’ shape. Don’t make the curve too sharp, or the ends might break off.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Their flavor and texture actually improve a day or two after baking! You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months.
More Holiday Treats You’ll Adore
If you enjoyed these almond crescent cookies, continue your holiday baking journey with some of our other festive favorites. Our chewy Soft Molasses Cookies are a classic, and these colorful Cranberry Orange Thumbprint Cookies are always a crowd-pleaser.
Your New Favorite Holiday Cookie
These almond crescent cookies are more than just a dessert; they’re a little piece of holiday magic. We’re confident this will become your go-to recipe for years to come. If you bake these delightful cookies, we would love to see them! Share your creations and tag us on Pinterest!
These melt-in-your-mouth almond crescent cookies are a holiday must-bake!
Almond Crescent Cookies Recipe
FL Recipes
Almond Crescent Cookies (Classic Vanillekipferl Recipe)
Learn how to make classic almond crescent cookies (Vanillekipferl) with this no-fail recipe. These delicate, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth cookies are a holiday essential, dusted with powdered sugar for a perfect finish.
1cupunsalted butter, cold and cubed226g or 2 sticks
2/3cuppowdered sugarAlso known as confectioners' sugar
1 3/4cupsall-purpose flour
1cupfinely ground blanched almond flour
1/4tspsalt
1 1/2tsppure vanilla extract
1cuppowdered sugarFor coating
Equipment
1 Electric Mixer Hand or stand mixer
2 Baking Sheets
Parchment Paper
Method
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cold, cubed butter and 2/3 cup powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until a crumbly dough begins to form. Add the vanilla extract and mix just until combined.
Form the dough into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Take a tablespoon of chilled dough and roll it into a small log about 3 inches long, tapering the ends slightly. Gently curve the log into a crescent shape and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn a very light golden brown.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes. Gently roll each warm cookie in a bowl with 1 cup of powdered sugar to coat. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Calories: 85kcalProtein: 1gFat: 6gFiber: 1g
Notes
Do Not Overbake: These cookies should be pale with only the slightest hint of golden on the edges for the perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture. Chill Time is Crucial: Do not skip refrigerating the dough. This step is essential to prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
Hi, I’m Emily Carter, and welcome to FL Recipes! I share simple, healthy recipes that make cooking easy, fun, and delicious for everyone. more about me »
