Anise Seed Crescent Cookies (Vanillekipferl)
The recipe for these Christmas cookies comes from the bakery Rischart in Munich. This recipe first appeared in our December 2012 issue along with Todd Coleman's story Bavarian Dream.
Vanillekipferl (Anise-Seed Crescent Cookies)
The recipe for these Christmas cookies comes from the bakery Rischart in Munich.
Yield: makes About 20 Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 1⁄2 cups flour
- 1 tbsp. crushed anise seeds
- 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- Coarse sanding sugar, to decorate
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400°. Beat sugar and butter on medium-high speed of a hand mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and yolks; beat until smooth. Add flour, anise, and salt; beat until just combined. Pinch off 1-tbsp.-sized pieces of dough, roll each into a cylinder; bend to form a crescent. Place 2" apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Brush with egg white, and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until browned, 12-15 minutes.
NOTE: This recipe has been adjusted from the version that ran in the print edition of SAVEUR. The quantity of sugar has been increased by ¼ cup, the eggs have been adjusted from 2 yolks to 2 whole eggs, the size of the cookies have been decreased, and the baking time has been increased.
