Vanillekipferl

In my household, baking a batch of Vanillekipferl signifies the start of the Christmas season. (Indeed, these Vanillekipferl were baked on the same day I baked the shortbread). So much Christmas cheer!

I'm generally not a fan of traditional German Christmas cookies (Weihnachtsgebäck) like Lebkuchen, Zimtsterne, and the generic Butterplätzchen, finding them sweet, overly spiced and a little dry*, but for Vanillekipferl I have always had an unreserved passion. I mean, what's not to like about crumbly buttery shortbreads, rich with almond meal, and fragrant with vanilla?

I've posted a recipe for Vanillekipferl previously, but this year we've changed the recipe we're using, and I thought you might like to give it a go too. The recipe is from Dr. Oetker, and appears in their books Backen Macht Freude and Plätzchen von A-Z. The old recipe we used was simply flour, butter, almonds, sugar and vanilla, but the new one also has egg yolks in it, for extra richness. I find these crisp and delicious, with a slightly moist centre, redolent with almonds. So delicious!

Forming the crescents

Dusted with icing sugar

Vanillekipferl

I hope you like these! If you like the look of this recipe, you might also like my recipes for Mexican Wedding Cakes, Shortbread Biscuits or Classic Shortbread Wedges.

How are your plans for Christmas? Do you like to celebrate, or just chill out? We've done a little decorating (see my most recent Christmas post), had one turkey-and-Christmas-pudding lunch already, with another, smaller Christmas lunch planned for this weekend. Hooray!

Vanillekipferl
Recipe translated from Dr. Oetker's Backen Macht Freude and Plätzchen von A-Z

Ingredients
For the dough
250 grams plain flour
1 pinch baking powder
125 grams caster sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
200 grams softened butter
125 grams almond meal
To dust
50 grams icing sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar, extra

Method
Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl.
Add the sugar, vanilla sugar (or extract), egg yolks, butter and almonds. Mix (by hand or with an electric mixer), until the ingredients are smoothly combined.
Cover with clingwrap and chill the dough until firm.
Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Take tablespoons of the dough and form into crescent shapes. (The dough expands in the oven, so you can afford to make them thin rather than thick).
Place the biscuits on the prepared tray. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden.
Mix the 50 grams icing sugar with the extra vanilla sugar.
Dust the biscuits heavily with the icing sugar mixture while still hot.
Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes approx. 36

*It is entirely possible that I think I don't like Weihnachtsgebäck simply because I haven't tried a good version. If you have any recommendations for good recipes or brands to purchase, please hit me up in the comments!