These vanilla crescent cookies are perfect for Christmas! They are buttery, loaded with shredded coconut, and have a divine vanilla taste!
Vanillekipferl or otherwise known as vanilla crescent cookies, is a staple dessert in Europe. They are prevalent in Germany and Austria, and the whole Balkan area.
People frequently use vanilla sugar in Europe, but it’s not popular in the US. Nevertheless, you can easily find it on Amazon or any store with Balkan food.
You may want to try additional cookie recipes, such as walnut cookies or gurabije – lard cookies. These options could be a delightful addition to your baking repertoire.
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Ingredients
- Flour: For this recipe, I used all-purpose flour. I have not tried to substitute it for a different flour.
- Butter: We need room temperature butter. If you forget the take the butter from the fridge beforehand, just put it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. The butter needs to be soft to the touch but not melted.
- Granulated sugar: We are adding granulated sugar to the cookie dough to add sweetness.
- Shredded coconut: I used unsweetened shredded coconut. I would not recommend using sweet coconut because the cookies will be too sweet then.
- Baking powder: Just a little bit of baking powder to lift the cookies.
- Eggs: We need two large eggs. They will bind all the ingredients together.
- Milk: Just a little bit of milk to bind the ingredients.
- Powdered sugar: We are using powdered sugar to dust the crescent cookies.
- Vanilla sugar: We are adding vanilla sugar to give the crescent cookies that divine vanilla taste.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Make the cookie dough.
- Shape the cookies into crescents.
- Bake the cookies.
- Roll the cookies into the vanilla sugar mixture.
Dough Texture
Once you start working the dough, it may be tempting to add more liquid, but give it a few minutes, and the dough will start getting its texture. The dough will still look a little crumbly, but it will hold together once you take a piece and roll it into a small ball. If the dough is still very crumbly, add 1 tablespoon of cold milk at a time. If the dough is too sticky, add a little bit of flour.
Expert Tips and Tools
- It is essential to measure your ingredients correctly. If you scoop the flour with the cup, you will have the compacted flour, adding 25%. Instead, spoon and level the flour and other ingredients as well. If needed, you can use the scale.
- Make the crescents as even as you can, so they can bake the same. Look at the notes to see details about the more precise cookie measurements.
- Coat the crescent cookies while they are warm. Otherwise, the vanilla sugar won’t stick to them.
Storage
Store them into the air-tight container and leave them on the counter for up to 5 days. They might become a little dry if you leave them on the counter for longer than 5-7 days.
Have you made this recipe? Please let me know in the comments below. I would love to hear your suggestions and recipe variations.
More Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
- Mini Bundt Cakes
- Walnut Bundt Cake
- Walnut Strudel
- Blackberry Lemon Bread
- Summer Raspberry Cake
- The Best Homemade Apple Pie
- Lemon Meringue Slice – Sampita
- Gurabije – Lard Cookies
- Walnut Cookies – Sape Recipe
- Butterscotch Rum Cake
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Recipe
Vanillekipferl – Vanilla Crescent Cookies
Equipment
- Mixer (stand mixer or hand-held)
- Baking sheets
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
Crescent cookies
- 3 ½ cup all-purpose flour (500g)
- 18 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature (250g)
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar (250g)
- 2 ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (250g)
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder (12g)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoon whole milk
Vanilla sugar mixture
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 3 small bags vanilla sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the dough base: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly.3 ½ cup all-purpose flour2 ½ teaspoon baking powder18 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
- Add dry ingredients: Gradually add the shredded coconut and granulated sugar, stirring until just combined.2 ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Incorporate wet ingredients: Add the eggs and milk. Continue mixing for 1–2 minutes until the dough begins to come together but still looks slightly crumbly.2 large eggs2 tablespoon whole milk
- Shape the dough: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead gently for about 1 minute, just until the dough is smooth enough to shape. Avoid overworking to keep the butter cold.
- Form crescents: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Pinch off small pieces of dough, about 1 oz or a heaping tablespoon. Roll each piece into a short log approximately 4 inches long and ¾ inch thick, then curve the ends to form a crescent.
- Bake: Arrange crescents on prepared baking sheets, leaving space between them as they will spread slightly. Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until set but still pale in color.
- Coat in vanilla sugar: While cookies are baking, mix powdered sugar and vanilla sugar in a medium bowl. After removing the cookies from the oven, let them cool for 1–2 minutes, then carefully roll them in the sugar mixture until fully coated.½ cup powdered sugar3 small bags vanilla sugar
- Cool and store: Transfer coated cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with the remaining batch. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- Measure accurately: For best results, spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off, or use a kitchen scale for precise measurements. Scooping directly from the bag can compress the flour, resulting in up to 25% more than needed.
- Even shaping: Try to keep cookies uniform in size so they bake evenly.
- Coat while warm: Roll cookies in the vanilla sugar mixture within 1–2 minutes of removing them from the oven so the sugar sticks properly.
- Dough texture: The dough may look slightly crumbly at first, but it should hold together when rolled into a ball. If it’s too crumbly, add 1 tablespoon of cold milk at a time. If it’s sticky, sprinkle in a little more flour.
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