Vanillekipferl (vanilla crescent cookies) are tender, nutty, and sweet, flavored with almond flour and dusted liberally with powdered sugar, perfect for the holidays – this time, with a vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free makeover!
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.
- Almond flour: It’s best to use fine, blanched almond flour for these almond crescent cookies (or make your own—method in FAQs). Other nut flours would work, too, though, like hazelnuts or walnuts.
- Flour: I used 60 g rice flour and 20 g tapioca flour, but you can use gluten-free all-purpose flour, too. If you aren’t GF, regular AP flour should work.
- Salt: Just a pinch to enhance all the flavors in this Vanillekipferl recipe.
- Nut butter: I usually use almond butter, though cashew butter will also work.
- Vanilla extract: Use natural vanilla to avoid artificial flavor or the more traditional vanilla sugar (to make your own, refer to the FAQs).
- Medjool dates: Instead of regular sugar, I’ve used pitted and soaked dates (in hot water for at least 20 minutes to soften).
- Powdered sugar: I use powdered Erythritol, though regular confectioners sugar will work too.
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.
FAQs
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.
Vanillekipferl Recipe
Ingredients
- 70 g (2/3 cups) almond flour
- 80 g (1 cup + 1 Tbsp) gluten-free all-purpose flour (see notes)
- 1 Pinch of salt
- 80 g (1/3 cup) almond butter
- 100 g (8) Medjool dates pitted and soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Powdered Erythritol or (vanilla) icing sugar
Instructions
- I recommend using metric measurements (grams). Check the video for visual instructions.
- Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend for about 10-20 seconds, or until combined.
- Wrap the dough in cling film and transfer it to the fridge to chill for about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 356° F (180° C) and line a cookie sheet or baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 2 pieces and roll each piece into a thick rope, about 1 1/2-2 inches (4-5 cm) in diameter.
- Cut each rope into 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) thick slices and roll each slice into a small rope (refer to video). Then, bend both ends together to form a C-shape.
- Transfer the cookies to the lined sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool completely, dust them with powdered Erythritol (or icing sugar or powdered vanilla sugar), then enjoy!
Notes
- Flour: I used 60 g rice flour and 20 g tapioca flour, but you can use gluten-free all-purpose flour, too. If you aren’t GF, regular AP flour should work.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
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Hi Ela, I’ve put 100gr of dried pitted dates on the scale and got 15 of them. Is that possible or am I doing something wrong?
Btw I love ALL your recipes. 🙂
Hi Carmen, there is a huge difference between Medjool dates and other varieties like Deglet Noor. Therefore, it’s ALWAYS recommended to follow the metric measurements (100 g).
So happy you like my recipes! 🙂
COULD you skip the dates or that gives them the sweetness…???
No, because they also add moisture and bind the cookies. Any other dried fruit is fine, though.
Hello,
I would like to make these cookies.
Do I strain the dates or mash them. I looked for the information, maybe missed it. Thanks for your feedback.
Hi, you strain them, then blend them with all other ingredients. 🙂