German Kipfels, also known as Kipferl or Vanillekipferl, are delicate crescent-shaped cookies that are a beloved treat during the Christmas season in Germany, Austria, and other parts of Europe. These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are made with a combination of flour, sugar, butter, and ground hazelnuts, which gives them a rich, nutty flavor. They are then coated in a generous amount of powdered sugar, creating a snowy appearance that adds to their festive charm. The unique shape of Kipfels is achieved by forming the dough into crescents before baking, giving them an elegant and distinctive look.
Let's cook with our recipes!
GERMAN TEA KIPFEL
These yeast rolls, a German favorite, are usually filled with chopped nuts, dried or candied fruit, jam, or other fillings.
Provided by Olha7397
Categories Yeast Breads
Time 30m
Yield 4 doz
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Soften the yeast in the warm water in a large bowl.
- Mixing until smooth, blend in the scalded lukewarm milk, sugar, salt, egg yolks, butter, and half of the flour. Mix in enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface.
- Knead until smooth and elastic, using additional flour if necessary. Put into a greased deep bowl; turn dough to bring greased surface to top. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Punch down; roll out dough into a rectangle 1/4 inch thick. Beat egg whites until stiff, not dry, peaks are formed. Spread HALF OF THE EGG WHITES on dough surface (reserve remaining half for topping). Sprinkle with a mixture of the raisins, 1/2 cup of the almonds, and the pineapple. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares, then cut each square diagonally in half. Bring triangle corners to center; pinch to seal and place on greased baking sheets.
- Top with a mixture of the reserved egg white and almonds, Cover; let rise again until very light, about 45 minutes.
- Bake at 375°F 10 minutes or until lightly browned. About 4 dozen Kipfel.
- TEA CREASCENTS: Follow recipe for Tea Kipfel. Divide dough into thirds. Roll out each piece into an 8 - inch round. Spread with a portion of the beaten egg white and filling mixture. Cut round into 12 wedges. Starting at wider edge, roll up and place with pointed edge down, 2 inches apart, on a greased baking sheet. Top and bake as directed. If desired, spread with a confectioners' sugar glaze. About 3 dozen Crescents.
- CAI The Canadian Family Cookbook.
GERMAN KIPFELS
This is my Grandma's cookie recipe she made when she worked at a bakery in Germany before WWII. She moved to the US after the war and passed this cherished recipe on to her children and grandchildren. For pictorial instructions check out my blog: http://www.perfuzion.com/german-kipfels/
Provided by Schooter
Categories Dessert
Time 55m
Yield 85 cookies, 85 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Put flour on counter.
- Make hole in the middle to put other ingredients.
- Add yeast, water, salt, vanilla, sugar, eggs, baking powder and butter to middle of flour.
- Knead dough until all ingredients are mixed. (Alternatively, use Kitchenaid with paddle blade to combine ingredients. First cream together butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla; whisk together dry ingredients and add to wet alternating with water.).
- Roll a fourth of the dough out on to the counter to 1/8" thickiness (Make sure the dough is rolled very thin).
- Cut dough into 3x3 inch squares using a pizza cutter.
- Put 5 chocolate chips in the middle.
- Roll dough from corner. Cookie should look like a crescent roll. Make sure to pinch the dough together so they don't unroll when cooking.
- Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Let cool for ~10 minutes.
- Roll in powdered sugar using a zip lock bag.
- Put cookies in container/ziplock and store in the freezer for best taste.
HUNGARIAN KIFFLES
This is the real deal, direct from my Hungarian descendants. These yummy, delicate cookies are just the right amount of sweetness and are absolutely addicting! Simple ingredients, but do take some work, but well worth it! Always a holiday favorite!
Provided by Rach
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Eastern European Hungarian
Time 8h25m
Yield 36
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Beat butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale yellow and creamy. Gradually add 2 cups flour to butter mixture until the dough is too thick for the mixer. Stir remaining 2 cups flour into the butter mixture by hand and knead until dough falls off hands easily. Roll dough into a ball, place in bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Stir walnuts and sugar together in a bowl. Pour milk into walnut mixture and stir to form a paste.
- Turn dough onto a floured work surface and roll to desired thickness. Cut dough into 2-inch squares. Place about 1 teaspoon walnut filling in the center of each square. Roll the dough from 1 corner to the other corner around the walnut filling and transfer to a baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven until light brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 289.4 calories, Carbohydrate 18.3 g, Cholesterol 41.1 mg, Fat 23 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 4.4 g, SaturatedFat 10.1 g, Sodium 110.8 mg, Sugar 6 g
WASER KIPFELS (WATER LILLIE'S)
These are from a 125 year old German recipe. Tricky to make but worth the effort. This recipe has been in my family for 65 years. Some measures are not shown in the original, nor is the oven temperature. This takes a lot of time. The filling is much like baklava.
Provided by Esther
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European German
Time 1h12m
Yield 36
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Crumble the yeast into the flour mixture as finely as possible. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center, and add the eggs. Mix well while gradually adding sour cream. If the dough is too sticky, more flour can be added depending on the size of your eggs.
- Wrap the dough in a clean dish towel, and hang in very very cold water for one hour while you make the filling.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the ground walnuts, 2/3 cup sugar, and milk. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of the mixture dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Stir constantly to prevent burning. Set aside to cool before using.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). On a sugared surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness. Flour will make the cookies tough. Cut into 3x3 inch squares. Place one teaspoon of filling into each square, then fold in half to make a rectangle. Bend the two long ends around to form a horse shoe shape, and place onto the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. Watch the first batch carefully to set the ideal time for your oven, as they do burn quickly. Enjoy a rare treat!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 162.7 calories, Carbohydrate 15.8 g, Cholesterol 29.2 mg, Fat 9.8 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 3.2 g, SaturatedFat 2.8 g, Sodium 48.8 mg, Sugar 4.5 g
HOLIDAY KIPFERL COOKIE
My family has been making the classic kipferl cookie on December 1 every year since I can remember. During the last two weeks of December, we make them with the addition of dried cranberries and toasted pecans for Christmas time. -Brooke Maynard, Poughkeepsie, New York
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Desserts
Time 45m
Yield 4 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add flour, granulated sugar and salt; pulse until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks and water. Add to almond butter mixture, and pulse until dough forms. Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until easy to handle, about 1 hour., Preheat oven to 325°. Divide dough into fourths. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into an 8-in. circle. Sprinkle with pecans and cranberries; lightly press into dough. Cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up wedges from the wide end; place point side down 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Curve ends to form crescents., Bake until lightly browned, 12-15 minutes. Carefully roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks. Sprinkle with additional confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 85 calories, Fat 6g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 20mg cholesterol, Sodium 52mg sodium, Carbohydrate 8g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 1g protein.
Tips:
- Make sure your butter is cold and firm before you start baking. This will help prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- If you don't have a pastry blender, you can use two forks to cut the butter into the flour. Just be sure to work quickly so that the butter doesn't start to melt.
- If you want your kipfels to be extra crispy, bake them for a few minutes longer than the recipe calls for.
- If you're using a traditional kipfel iron, be sure to grease it well before you start baking. This will help prevent the cookies from sticking.
- Let the kipfels cool completely before you store them. This will help them keep their shape and prevent them from becoming crumbly.
- Kipfels can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Conclusion:
Kipfels are a delicious and versatile cookie that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. They're perfect for any occasion, whether it's a holiday party, a family gathering, or just a casual snack. With so many different recipes to choose from, you're sure to find a kipfel that you love. So next time you're looking for a sweet treat, give kipfels a try. You won't be disappointed!
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