These delicious Gluten Free Vanilla Crescent Cookies (otherwise known as Vanillekipferl) are delicious holiday cookies that 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 really 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 use nut flour quite a bit in my baking naturally.
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!
Ingredients notes:
- 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.
- 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 more coarse and will make your cookies grainy.
- Butter - Use dairy-free butter if you can not have dairy.
Recipe step by step 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.
Step 2: Your flour mixture will be grainy with the tiny butter pieces. Add the wet ingredients to this mixture.
Step 3: Use your hands to mix the dough until it forms a ball.
Step 4: Roll long rolls with the dough. I would say make them about ½ inch thick. Break them into 3-inch pieces and bend them into a crescent shape.
Step 5: Line the cookie dough up on a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet and bake at 350º F.
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.
These Austrian Vanillekipferl cookies are also perfect for a cookie exchange party, or any holiday party!
Tips and Recipe FAQ:
There are two ways I like to cut butter into the flour. 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 keep from eating them too quickly. They were completely fine. (They even taste great frozen!)
You can make this easy vanillekipferl cookie recipe with almond flour, hazelnut flour, and walnut flour.
You technically don't have to roll these cookies in powdered sugar, but it definitely is part of the tradition of this cookie...and it adds to the "melt in your mouth" quality of these vanillekipferl cookies.
More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes:
- Gluten Free Ginger Cookies
- Easy Macarons
- Gluten Free Butterscotch Madeleine Cookies
- Gluten Free Gingerbread Linzer Cookies
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📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Austrian Vanilla Crescent Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup gluten free flour blend * see note
- 8 tablespoons cold butter
- ½ cup almond flour * see note
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 tablespoons almond milk
Coating:
- ¾ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a food processor, add flours and cold butter.
- Pulse until the mixture is grainy.
- Add to a bowl. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, powdered sugar, salt, and almond milk. (Note coconut milk also works well.)
- Hand mix the dough with your hands until you have a stiff dough.
- 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. Remove and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
- When the cookies are cool, roll them in powdered sugar.
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 not 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 up to 4 days. You can also freeze them in a large freezer-safe zip style baggie!
Nutrition
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(*Note this post was updated from a 12/2017 post.)
DebS
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?
Sandi Gaertner
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.
Lucy
Do you have to add xantham gum to the flour blend ?
Sandi Gaertner
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.
Cecelia worley
Can you use all almond flour?.... I forgot to buy reg GF flour! Can you use regular milk...forgot almond or coconut milk.
Thanks!
Sandi Gaertner
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 😉
Alena Brenda
These gluten-free cookies are the best of healthy breakfast with a cup of tea.
Sandi Gaertner
My kids would love to have these for breakfast LOL.
Alena Brenda
LOL! the taste of our kids are similar
Sandi Gaertner
Enjoy 🙂
Debra C.
Ooh this look good! I always end up freezing cookies too because my big kid (Dan.. 🙂 goes thru them so quickly. Can’t wait to try these!
Sandi Gaertner
I love freezing cookies, and often like them frozen too 🙂