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.
Equipment and Tools Needed
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixer
- Bowls
- A spatula
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
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
- In a mixer bowl, add flour, baking powder, and butter. Start mixing at low speed. Slowly start adding shredded coconut and granulated sugar. Finally, add the eggs and milk. Mix for a couple of minutes until the mixture becomes crumbly.*
- Transfer the dough mixture into the large bowl and work the dough with your hands for a few minutes. It should become more incorporated but still a little crumbly. Transfer the dough onto the lightly floured work surface.
- Continue working the dough, but just for another minute or so. You don’t want to overwork the dough since the butter will melt, and the dough will become very sticky.
- Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit and line the baking sheet with parchment paper. You will most likely need one full-size baking sheet and another half-size baking sheet.
- Then, take a small piece of dough (approximately 1 ounce or heaping tablespoon). Roll the dough ball with your palms for a few seconds and then start rolling the dough ball to make a log and gently turn the edges into a crescent shape.* Transfer to the baking sheet and repeat until you use all dough. I baked it into two batches because you don’t want to overcrowd the baking pan. The crescent cookies will expand a little while baking. Put the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 23 minutes.*
- In a medium-sized bowl, add powdered sugar and vanilla sugar. Mix until combined. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let cool for a minute or two. Roll the crescent cookie into the sugar mixture until evenly coated.*
- Repeat the process with the second batch of cookies. You should have enough sugar mixture for both cookie batches. Serve immediately! Enjoy!
Notes
- You don’t need a mixer to mix the dough. You can mix the dough in a large bowl using a spatula.
- Make the crescent as even as you can since this will ensure the even baking.
- My cookies took 23 minutes to bake, but you may need to check them after 20 minutes. Baked cookies will still be pale. They can get overbaked very quickly.
- The vanilla sugar won’t stick to cookies if you don’t coat the cookies while still warm.
- Roll the cookie dough into a 4-inch length cylinder, approximately ¾ inch thick. Then gently turn the edges into a crescent shape.
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