Description
These Vegan Vanillekipferl are delicate, buttery vanilla crescent cookies made without any animal products. Traditional Austrian flavors shine through with aromatic vanilla, finely ground almonds, and a tender, crumbly texture. Perfect for holiday celebrations or everyday indulgence, these cookies are baked to a golden perfection and generously dusted with powdered sugar for a sweet finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Vanilla Sugar
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
Dough
- 200 g vegan butter (block-style), cold and cubed
- 125 g blanched almonds
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Dusting
- 75 g powdered sugar
Instructions
- Make vanilla sugar: Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add both the seeds and the scraped-out pod to a food processor along with the granulated sugar. Blitz for about 5 minutes until the vanilla is finely ground and well incorporated.
- Sift vanilla sugar: Pass the vanilla sugar mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any larger pieces of vanilla pod for a smoother texture in the dough.
- Prepare the dry ingredients: Return the sifted vanilla sugar to the food processor and add the blanched almonds, all-purpose flour, and sea salt. Pulse for a couple of minutes until the mixture is finely ground and evenly combined.
- Add butter and vanilla extract: Incorporate the cold cubed vegan butter into the processor and quickly blitz for about 10 seconds to combine while retaining some texture. Blend in the vanilla extract for a few more seconds, being careful not to overmix to avoid tough dough.
- Roll and chill dough: Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead gently into a smooth ball. Using parchment or plastic wrap, roll the dough into a 15-inch log, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
- Shape cookies: Slice the chilled dough log into 44 equal pieces (about 15g each). Roll each piece into a ball, then into a small log, and curl the ends to form classic crescent shapes. Place shaped cookies on parchment-lined trays and chill again for 30 minutes.
- Bake cookies: Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) fan or 200°C (392°F) conventional. Arrange the cookies about 1 cm apart on parchment-lined trays and bake for 8 minutes until just golden at the edges.
- Cool slightly: Let the cookies rest on the baking tray for 5 minutes after baking. Carefully slide the entire parchment sheet with the cookies onto a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.
- Dust with powdered sugar: Once fully cooled, generously dust the crescent cookies with powdered sugar to finish.
- Store properly: Keep the Vanillekipferl in an airtight container separated by parchment paper layers at room temperature. They stay fresh and crisp for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
- Note 1: Using cold, block-style vegan butter helps achieve a tender, flaky texture in the cookies.
- Note 2: Blanched almonds are preferred for their smooth texture and mild flavor; they should be finely ground for the dough.
- Note 3: Sifting the vanilla sugar removes larger vanilla pod fragments and results in a finer texture in the final cookies.
