Vanilkove Rohlicky (Czech Vanilla Crescents) Recipe

Vanilla crescents recipe

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 18 servings

While these Czech vanilla crescents or vanilkove rohlicky are made year-round, they are especially popular at Christmas time when they become part of vánoční cukrový (vah-NAWTCH-nee tsoo-KRAW-vee) or Christmas sweets. Vanilla crescents are also popular Christmas cookies in Germany and Austria where they are called Vanillekipferl

You can use the food processor to finely chop the almonds (or hazelnuts), just make sure you don’t overprocess them, or they will turn into a paste. 

Shaping the cookies into crescents takes a bit of practice but no worries if they don’t look perfect the first time, they will still be delicious. If the dough is very soft and difficult to handle, briefly place it in the fridge or freezer. just long enough to firm it up a bit. That will make it easier to shape the crescents. 

Some people like to roll the crescents in vanilla sugar and yet others prefer them rolled in confectioners' sugar which is perfect for Christmas because it looks like they've been dusted with freshly fallen snow. 

In this recipe the baked cookies are rolled in sugar twice, once while still warm, and a second time after they have completely cooled. Use a spatula to lift them off the baking sheet and handle the warm cookies very gently as they crumble easily. The cookies will firm up as they cool so you don’t have to be quite as careful during the second rolling in sugar. 

Store the cookies in an airtight container. They keep for several week but like all buttery cookies, they taste best within a week. The cookies can also be frozen, stacked in layers in airtight containers with waxed paper between each layer.

 

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

  • 5 tablespoons sugar

  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

  • 1 tablespoon water

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 2 cups almonds, or hazelnuts, finely chopped

  • Vanilla sugar, or confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat oven to 325 F.

    Vanilla crescents ingredients
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and add sugar, vanilla, and water.

    Cream together butter and sugar
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska
  3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt and add to the creamed mixture, combining thoroughly.

    Whisk together flour and salt
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska
  4. Add chopped nuts of choice and mix until completely incorporated.

    Add chopped nuts
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska
  5. Form walnut-size pieces of dough into crescent shapes on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom.

    Put on baking tray
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska
  6. Allow cookies to cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet. And then, while still warm, roll in confectioners' sugar or vanilla sugar.

    Allow cookies to cool
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska
  7. When cookies are completely cool, again roll in confectioners' sugar or vanilla sugar.

    Roll in confectioner's sugar
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska
  8. Serve and enjoy!

    Vanilla crescent cookies
    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Tip

  • If not serving right away, transfer to an airtight container. They will keep several weeks.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
248 Calories
18g Fat
18g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 18
Amount per serving
Calories 248
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 24%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 27mg 9%
Sodium 137mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 46mg 4%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 128mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)