Austrian Christmas Butter Cookies

Vanillekipferl have always been a favorite Christmas cookie of Austrians. The small almond biscuits shaped like a crescent moon are part of the culinary delights of the Christmas markets in Salzburg and Vienna.

Here is one Austrian grandmother's recipe, which is easy to make and really delicious.

(They also make a great holiday present for friends and family. We're just sayin'...)

Ingredients:

150 grams butter
210 grams flour
80 grams ground hazelnuts or almonds
80 grams powdered sugar
one whole egg
60 grams powdered sugar
3 tablespoons vanilla sugar

Method:

1. sift the flour into a heap on a pastry board or into a large bowl
2. cut the cold butter into small pieces and mix with the flour
3. add powdered sugar, ground almonds or hazelnuts and the egg
4. rinse hands with cold water and quickly knead mixture into a crisp dough
5. Chill for half an hour
6. Form thumb thick rolls from the dough
7. cut into 1 cm wide pieces, roll and form crescents
8. bake at slow to medium heat (350� Fahrenheit) for 10-15 minutes, or until very light gold in color
9. roll the crescents in a mixture of powdered sugar and vanilla sugar while still hot

(Now, how easy was that?)

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Recipe courtesy of Austrian Tourist Office