A fabulously stylish woman I follow on social media recently posted a photo from a “German baking book that most German people know who were born in the 80s:” a crescent shaped shortbread cookie called “Wiener Vanillekipferl.” I was so bowled over by its beautiful lunar shape and the promise of vanilla-nutty deliciousness, I decided to try and make it myself. Problem was, her recipe was in German. And, while my one term at university sufficed for the list of ingredients, the instructions in her photo remained half-hidden.
After a bit of research and a few simple tweaks, I now have a recipe for the cookie-of-the-moment in our family! We have not been able to keep these crescent-shaped, vanilla-flavoured, butter-and-nut shortbread cookies “in stock” for more than a day at a time. Good thing they’re simpler to make than they look! I feel as if this holiday cookie has always been a part of our celebrations. Judging by the Vanillekipferl consumption around the house in the past week, these Vanilla Crescent Moons will undoubtedly become the every-day-is-a-holiday cookie of 2021. They’re excellent with a cup of tea or a mug of coffee! And they’re stellar with a classic Boulevardier!
Enjoy. Repeat.
Vanillekipferl : Vanilla Crescent Moon Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 c [minus 2 tbs] cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes [200 g]
- 2 c all-purpose flour [300 g]
- 1/2 c ground hazelnuts [or the nut meal of your choice] [50 g]
- 1/2 c ground almonds [or the nut meal of your choice] [50 g]
- 1/2 c icing sugar [100 g]
- 1 packet vanilla sugar [9 grams, or 1 1/2 tsp homemade vanilla sugar]
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 fresh egg yolks
For the Moon-Dust
- ½ c icing sugar [100 g]
- 1 packet vanilla sugar [9 grams, or 1 1/2 tsp homemade vanilla sugar]
Optional Chocolate Dip [Not Pictured]
- 3 Bars [300 grams] Milk or Dark Chocolate [or the equivalent in chocolate chips]
- 2 tsp Coconut Oil [OPTIONAL]
- 1/2 c chopped nuts or sprinkles [OPTIONAL]
Instructions
- Place the flour in a bowl or on a flat surface, and make a well in the centre.
- Place the cubed butter in the middle of the well and mix with your hands or with a pastry blender, until the mixture resembles small peas or coarse crumbs.
- Make another well in the mixture and add the ground nuts, icing sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, and, to the very centre, the egg yolks.
- By hand, combine and knead the dough. After a a few minutes, it will resemble a coarse mixture. In another minute or two, it will come together into a ball of dough.
- Divide the dough in half and then shape each ball into a rope about 1-1/2 inches in diameter.
- Wrap each rope in plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours [no more than 24].
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment.
- Working with one roll at a time, remove the dough from the refrigerator and slice off walnut-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a 3-inch rope. Use your palm and opposite pointer finger to shape each little rope into a crescent.
- Place the crescents about a half-inch apart on a cookie sheet. [I can do 24 per sheet, or about half the batch / one rope!]
- Bake 12 minutes, or until the tips of each moon have just begun to brown.
- While the first batch of cookies is baking, mix the 1/2 cup icing sugar with the vanilla sugar packet for the "moon-dust" and set aside before forming your second sheet of cookies with the remaining dough.
- Remove the first batch of baked cookies from the oven and allow to sit on the pan for 2 minutes.
- *If you want to dip the cookies in chocolate, skip down to the Optional Chocolate Dip section.
- Slide the warm cookies towards each other on the centre of the baking sheet [to conserve sugar] and, using a sieve and spoon or a tea-ball, coat the tops of the cookies liberally in the sugar mixture.
- Cool completely. Repeat, as above, with the second batch of cookies. And ENJOY!
- Cookies may be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. Though, it's unlikely you'll have them around that long!
- Repeat, as above, with the second batch of cookies. And ENJOY!
Optional Chocolate Dip [Not Pictured]
- Allow both batches of cookies to cool completely.
- While the cookies are cooling, melt the chocolate [and optional coconut oil] in a double boiler or in short pulses in the microwave.
- Dip half of each cooled cookie in chocolate. [You might also dip these chocolate sides in sprinkles or chopped nuts if so desired.] Place back on the parchment-lined pan, and allow to cool and set in the fridge for 5 minutes.
- Then, using a sieve and spoon or a tea-ball, dust the un-coated tops of the cookies liberally in the sugar mixture.
- Cookies may be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. Though, it's unlikely you'll have them around that long!
Notes
I have a recipe I got in 2020 for these cookies and I am also making it a staple for Christmas. My mom loved Germany when she lived there after World War II, and made desserts that were made in Germany. She was some cook.
So grateful to have come across this web page. I wanted to follow you on Facebook but could not find you.
We’re at https://www.facebook.com/smellingsaltsjournal
Don’t post there often, honestly.