These delicious Gluten Free Vanilla Crescent Cookies (otherwise known as Vanillekipferl) are delightful holiday cookies everyone loves! They are perfect for gluten free cookie exchanges and holiday parties…but really, why wouldn’t we just enjoy these all year long? They melt in your mouth and are my kids’ favorite gluten free cookie!!
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If you love gluten free cookies as much as we do, definitely check out my family’s favorite Gluten Free Cookies. I put them all in one handy place so you can find a fun new cookie recipe to try.
I love this time of year when it is all about the holiday cookies. This year, I have been exploring cookies from other countries and trying to see if I can re-create them in a gluten free version. Sometimes, this works out well; other times, it turns into a big flop!
Mr. Fearless Dining’s family is all around Europe, so I like asking them for their favorite holiday cookie recipes. Did you know I sell a cookbook featuring Gluten Free Cookies From Around the World?
What are Vanillekipferl Cookies?
Vanillekipferl cookies originated in Austria, but these crescent-shaped cookies are hugely popular in Austria and Eastern Europe. I knew this was the perfect cookie to remake gluten-free because I naturally use nut flour in many recipes.
You may also like these Gluten Free Pfeffernusse Cookies or these Gluten Free Russian Tea Cookies.
You are going to love how easy these vanillekipferl cookies are to make. Sometimes, simple recipes are the best. If you love cookies, try these buttery gluten free sables. These French butter cookies are another great cookie recipe!
Allergen Information:
These homemade crescent cookies are gluten-free, soy-free, and oat-free. You can make them dairy-free using plant-based butter.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work. I just have not tested other flours.
- Sugar – Use cane sugar.
- Almond Flour – Use almond flour and not almond meal.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Almond Flour – I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is coarser and will make your cookies grainy.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter. Use dairy-free, plant-based butter if you are dairy-free.
- Eggs – Size large.
- Non-Dairy Milk – Regular milk is also fine.
Tips for perfect gluten-free cookies:
1. Use the right tools. I wrote about all of my favorite cookie-making tools. Let me know what tools you like to use!
2. Use the right flour blend. Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. Here are the types of gluten-free blends and the types of recipes in which they work best.
3. I have a very helpful Gluten-Free Cookie Troubleshooting Guide in case you need more guidance and tips.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Step 1: Add the gluten free flour blend, almond flour (or use a different nut flour of your choice), and butter to a food processor.
If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a handy pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour.
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Step 2: The tiny butter pieces will make your flour mixture grainy. Add the wet ingredients to this mixture.
Step 3: Use your hands to mix the dough until it forms a ball.
📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
Step 4: Roll long rolls with the dough. I would say make them about 1/2 inch thick. Break them into 3-inch pieces and bend them into a crescent shape.
Step 5: Line the cookie dough on a parchment paper-covered
Step 6: Bake the gluten free cookies for 8-10 minutes. When they come out of the oven, move them to a cooling rack and allow them to cool. While the cookies are hot, they are a bit fragile. Once they cool, they are sturdy and will hold together perfectly for eating and gift-giving!
Step 7: Next, roll each cookie in powdered sugar. Enjoy!
These Austrian Vanillekipferl cookies are also perfect for a cookie exchange party or any holiday party!
Frequently Asked Questions:
I like to cut butter into flour in two ways. The easiest way is to use a food processor.
Yes! You can easily make these cookies and freeze them too! I wasn’t sure if these cookies would be freezable, but I put a bag full into the freezer to avoid eating them too quickly. They were completely fine. (They even taste great frozen!)
You can make this easy vanillekipferl cookie recipe with almond, hazelnut, and walnut flour.
You technically don’t have to roll these cookies in powdered sugar, but it is part of this cookie’s tradition…and it adds to the “melt in your mouth” quality of these vanillekipferl cookies.
More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes:
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a food processor, add 1 3/4 cup gluten free flour blend, 1/2 cup almond flour, and 8 tablespoons cold butter.
- Pulse until the mixture is grainy.
- Add this mixture to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix in 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1-2 tablespoons non-dairy or regular milk. (Note: coconut milk also works well.)
- Hand mix the dough with your hands or mix in the mixer until you have a stiff dough.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Break chunks of dough off and roll like making a snake.
- Break off pieces and bend into a crescent shape. Add these crescents to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. (The cookies are soft when hot so handle them carefully. They will firm up as they cool.) Remove the cookies from the oven and slide the parchment paper with the baked cookies onto a cooling rack.
- When the cookies are cooled, roll them in 3/4 cup powdered sugar.
Nutrition
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- I highly suggest using almond flour and do not use almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your cookies grainy.
- To make these cookies dairy-free, use dairy-free vegan butter.
- These cookies will keep fresh up to 4 days. You can also freeze them in a large freezer-safe zip style baggie!
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
(*Note this post was updated from a 12/2017 post.)
These look amazing! My daughter has a severe tree nut and peanut allergy. Can you make these cookies without the almond flour? Can I just sub in more gf flour?
Hi Deb, I am sorry to hear about your daughter’s nut allergies. I haven’t tried this cookie with subbing more gluten free flour. It should work, I wouldn’t add too much additional flour. Nut flours are not as absorbent as regular flours so you would need less of the gluten free flour. Please do let me know how they turn out.
Do you have to add xantham gum to the flour blend ?
Hi Lucy, the Xanthan gum helps hold them together. Guar Gum would also work. Some people use psyllium husk but I have never tried using this.
Can you use all almond flour?…. I forgot to buy reg GF flour! Can you use regular milk…forgot almond or coconut milk.
Thanks!
Hi Cecelia, I haven’t tested this recipe with just almond flour. I think you would want to add arrowroot or tapioca starch to the almond flour to make these lighter, but I haven’t tried it. The milk is fine to substitute. If you try it, let me know how it turns out 😉