Mealtime Magic - Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Almond Crescents) from German Heritage Baking

 Time-Honored Recipes, Traditional Techniques, and Culinary Secrets by four-time award-winning author and baker Heidrun Metzler. Known for her clear techniques and approachable style, Metzler invites home bakers of all levels to savor the rich traditions of Germany’s storied baking heritage—perfect for festive gatherings and family celebrations.

Heidrun brings a cross-cultural perspective and old-world baking into modern homes with clarity, warmth, and joy.  Growing up in Germany, Heidrun fell in love with baking cakes, cookies, and tortes alongside her mother, aunt, and grandmother. Drawing on family traditions, she creates flavor-rich, low-sugar recipes with step-by-step instructions.  With more than fifty recipes, including classics like Black Forest Cake, Apfelstrudel, Linzer Torte, and Traditional German Cheesecake with Quark, the book blends step-by-step guidance, cultural anecdotes, and stunning photography. Each recipe is designed to bring out authentic flavors while being accessible for home bakers.

 

“German baking is about more than desserts—it’s about connection, tradition, and sharing joy,” says Metzler. “By learning a few simple techniques, anyone can bring the warmth of old-world baking to their own holiday table.”

 

Highlights of German Heritage Baking include:

• Authentic Techniques Made Simple — Clear instructions and tips on flour types, oven adjustments, and classic doughs like Mürbeteig (shortcrust) give bakers confidence in creating stunning desserts at home.
• Less Sweet, More Flavorful — Recipes focus on balance and depth, offering cakes, tortes, and cookies that delight without overwhelming sweetness.
• Bavarian Holiday Favorites — From fruit-filled tarts to nutty cookies and festive cakes, these recipes bring old world traditions to modern celebrations.

“My intention in writing this book is to give bakers the recipes and tools to produce delicious and successful German-inspired desserts, specifically Mürbeteig, cookies, and sponge cake-based tortes, along with accompanying glazes, fillings, and creams.”

 

Whether you are baking a show-stopping torte for Christmas dinner or a simple crumb cake for cozy winter afternoons, German Heritage Baking brings a bit of Bavaria—and a lot of heart—into your home.

I had a chance to see an e-copy of this book. It just makes me want to go to Germany again! There are so many great German recipes, from options that are familiar to most people, even those who haven't traveled, and also options that are less familiar but every bit as tasty. Here's one delicious option.

Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Almond Crescents)

Yield – 24-30 2 ½-inch cookies

 

Vanillekipferl are one of the most recognizable Christmas cookies in Germany and other parts of Europe.  These cookies are a particular favorite in my family.  My mother uses traditional ground almonds, which are listed in this recipe, but my aunt’s specialty is to prepare them with ground hazelnuts instead. Give the hazelnuts a try if that flavor is preferred over almonds or create a mixture of ground almonds and ground hazelnuts. This dough needs 30 minutes to rest in the refrigerator, so be sure to factor that time into your preparations.

 

BAKING PAN: two 16 x 12-inch cookie sheets, lined with silicone baking mats or buttered and lined with parchment paper

BAKING TEMPERATURE: 350 degrees F

BAKE TIME:10 to 15 minutes

RACK PLACEMENT: middle of the oven

 

INGREDIENTS:

For the dough:

1 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup ground almonds, plus ¼ to ½ cup extra for sprinkling during rolling

½ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg yolk

10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

For coating:

½ cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla sugar, or ½ of a vanilla bean

 

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.  Line each cookie sheet with a silicone mat or butter and line with parchment paper.  Set aside.
2. Make the dough: Sift 1 cup of the flour and the baking powder onto a marble or wooden board.  Keep the remaining ¼ cup flour on the side.  Distribute the ground almonds over the flour.  Make a well in the center of the flour and add the sugar, salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, and egg yolk.  Cut the butter into small pieces, approximately ¼ to ½ inch.  Distribute the butter around the well.  Begin carefully pushing the dry ingredients into the well’s center.  Work to combine all ingredients, first with a metal dough scraper and then with your hands, until a ball of dough forms.  Add more flour from the reserved ¼ cup, a little at a time, if the dough becomes too sticky.
3. Let dough rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
4. Form the crescents: Sprinkle a marble or wooden board with almond meal.  Divide the dough into three equal sections.  Work with one section at a time, leaving the rest in the refrigerator.  Roll the section of dough into a rope, about 2 inches in diameter. Starting at one end, cut the rope into approximately ½ - inch-long pieces.  Roll each piece into a 4-inch-long rope and shape into a crescent with tapered ends (see tip below).  Handle the dough gently and sprinkle more ground almonds a little at a tie, onto the work surface if dough gets too sticky.
5. Place cookies 2 inches apart on cookie sheet to allow for spreading during baking.  14 to 16 cookies will fit on one 16 x 12-inch sheet.  If there is still space on the cookie sheet, remove another section of dough from the refrigerator to roll and shape.
6. As the first batch bakes, roll and shape the next batch, placing the crescents onto the second prepared sheet.  Repeat this process until all the dough has been used.
7. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.  Allow to cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes so that cookies do not break when transferring to wire rack.  Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.  Allow cookie sheet to cool completely before adding new cookies for baking.
8. Coat with sugar: sift the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar into a large bowl and mix.  Roll each cookie in the sugar mixture.  Alternatively, transfer cookies to a plate and sift the sugar mixture liberally and evenly over the tops.  Store in a closed container.  Cookie tins work well.

TIP: To tape the ends, pinch the dough between your thumb and forefinger.  Enjoy this part, and do not fret over a lack of perfect uniformity.

 

NOTE:

For strong vanilla flavor, use the German vanilla sugar packages available online or in local stores in some US areas.  If no German vanilla is on hand, make a quick homemade version by scraping the pulp from half a vanilla bean and mixing it with the powdered sugar.  Sift the sugar to remove any lumps.

 

Recipe and photo reprinted with permission from German Heritage Baking Volume 1: Time-Honored Recipes, Traditional Techniques, and Culinary Secrets by Heidrun Metzler

 

 

About the Author
Heidrun Metzler is a German-born baker and author with a lifelong passion for sharing the traditions of European desserts. Raised in Oberursel (near Frankfurt) among the flavors of her relatives’ kitchens, she began baking at the age of 10. Her passion for heritage recipes, paired with decades of experience, shines through in her writing and teaching. Her debut cookbook, German Heritage Baking, Volume I has been recognized with multiple honors, including the American Legacy Book Awards (Best International Cookbook; Best Interior Design) and the National Indie Excellence Awards (Winner: Regional Cookbook, Finalist: Cover Design). A companion volume, German Heritage Baking, Volume II, will be published in 2026.

 

When not baking, Heidrun, an accomplished equestrian and trick horse trainer, loves spending time with her horses. Her children’s book, Skeeter’s Dreams, features one of her horses as the main character. Based on the Big Island of Hawaii, Heidrun and her husband have lived for more than 20 years on their macadamia nut farm; she continues to bake, teach, and share her culinary expertise with bakers worldwide.

To learn more about her visit www.heidrunmetzler.com and https://prbythebook.com/experts/heidrun-metzler/