Chocolate Kipferl

17/11/2023

I present you a recipe to prepare delicious Chocolate Kipferl, crescent-shaped cookies originating from the Austro-German area often associated with the Christmas season. The chocolate variant is a delectable reinterpretation of the classic.

Ingredients

210 g of all-purpose flour
30 g of cocoa powder
100 g of powdered sugar
100 g of finely ground almonds
200 g of room temperature butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
Extra powdered sugar for dusting

Preparation

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt.
In another bowl, cream the soft butter with the powdered sugar until soft and light. Add the vanilla extract.
Mix in the ground almonds to the butter cream and blend well.
Gradually add the flour and cocoa mixture to the butter, sugar, and almond mixture, stirring until you have a homogeneous dough. If it’s too dry, you can add a tablespoon of cold water to help the dough come together.
Divide the dough into portions and roll into logs. Cut each log into pieces about 2 cm long and shape each piece into a crescent form.
Place the crescents on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170 °C (350 °F).
Bake the Chocolate Kipferl for 10-15 minutes. Remove the cookies when they are slightly firm to the touch but still soft; they will harden further as they cool.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
When the Kipferl are cool, roll them in the extra powdered sugar until evenly coated.

Fun Facts

The term “Kipferl” literally means “croissant” or “crescent moon” in German, and these cookies are known for their distinctive shape. Legend has it that they were created to celebrate the victory over the Turks and that their shape represented the crescent moon of the Turkish flag. Today, they are available in various versions in many countries, especially during the Christmas season.