Lemon crescent cookies are soft-crumbly, like buttery shortbread, shaped as tiny half-moons, and finished with a blanket of powdered sugar that looks straight out of a winter fairytale!
These cookies are a sunny twist on classic vanillekipferl. The Austrian Viennese crescent cookies you often see around Christmas time. Traditionally, Vanillekipferl are vanilla-almond cookies dusted generously with sugar. But my version adds a bright lemon twist using real lemons, making them feel extra special, very similar to soft lemon crinkle cookies.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✨ The holiday recipe is so beginner-friendly. If you’re new to baking, it’s such a great starting point. The dough comes together quickly, and the shaping is simple and fun.
✨ In under 25 minutes, you get a batch of elegant, lightly sweet lemon cookies from scratch, ready to enjoy with tea, coffee, or hot chocolate.
✨ These cookies keep well, pack beautifully, and make the sweetest edible Christmas gift, right alongside my Christmas desserts. Pack them in a tin and add a festive ribbon!
✨ If you’ve seen my holiday cookie collection, you already know I’m a sucker for melt-in-the-mouth cookies. And this crescent moon cookie recipe fits right in, with its buttery crumb and bright lemon flavor.
Recipe Ingredients
Flour: Simple pantry staple, all-purpose flour, works best for a tender texture.
Butter: Use softened butter for that melt-in-your-mouth crumb. I used salted butter. If you prefer unsalted butter, please add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the dry ingredients.
Sugar: Use powdered sugar, also known as icing sugar, for the dough and the snowy sugar coating.
Almonds: Finely chopped for that classic, nutty Viennese almond crescent cookies taste.
Lemon zest is the star that gives the cookies their fresh flavor. I love to add it to my bakes, like in these lemon madeleines, lemon pound cake, and lemon poppyseed cupcakes.
Spices: I love to use cinnamon and nutmeg powder to warm up the flavors and make the lemon pop!
Milk is optional. Use it only if your crescent cookie dough feels a little dry.
Please see the recipe card below for full information about the ingredients and quantities.
Variations
No lemon zest? Use pure lemon extract (just a little) or try almond extract for extra nuttiness.
Orange zest also works beautifully. I’ve made orange madeleine cookies and orange basque cheesecake, and it brings a different citrus warmth that tastes delicious.
You can also swap the almonds with walnuts. Just make sure they’re very finely chopped.
How To Make Lemon Crescent Cookies
Step 1: Beat softened butter and icing sugar until smooth, creamy, and fluffy.
Step 2: Mix in the flour, finely chopped almonds, lemon zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Step 3: Combine the lemon crescent cookie dough. The dough should be soft and easy to handle. Add a splash of milk if it feels too dry.
Step 4: Divide the dough into equal portions. Roll each into a short little rope. Curve the ends to make that cute half-moon shape.
Step 5: Place on a lined tray and bake for 12–14 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden.
Step 6: Let the cookies cool for a few minutes. While they are still warm, roll them in icing sugar.
Step 7: Cool completely and then serve!
Pro Tips
- Use fresh lemon zest. It adds unbeatable flavor to these lemon cookies! For extra flavor, stir in lemon extract.
- Chill if needed. If your dough feels too soft at step 3, pop it into the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up.
- Bake time matters. 12 minutes gives softer, more tender cookies. 14 minutes gives slightly crisp edges. Remember, these cookies firm up as they cool.
- Dust sugar on still-warm cookies. The heat helps the sugar stick.
Recipe FAQs
Vanillekipferl are traditional Austrian crescent-shaped cookies made with almonds and vanilla, Similar to Mexican wedding cookies. They’re also called Viennese crescent cookies or Vanilla crescent cookies and are especially popular during Christmas.
Swap all-purpose flour with buckwheat flour, as I did with gluten-free chocolate gingerbread cookies and my chocolate chip cookies. You may need to add a little extra milk to keep the dough soft.
Yes! The recipe is naturally eggless. Just replace the butter with chilled coconut oil or a good plant-based butter.
These cookies stay well for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container at room temperature or for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
* To freeze baked cookies, place them on a parchment-lined tray. Freeze for 2-3 hours until completely frozen. Then transfer them into a freezer-friendly bag or container. These will stay well for 1 month. Thaw on the countertop.
* To freeze the cookie dough, wrap it well in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, shape, and bake.
More Fun Holiday Cookies
Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others. That’s why I’m always eager to hear from you. So go right ahead & drop a comment or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love these lemon crescent cookies as much as we do!
📖 Recipe
Lemon Crescent Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Butter softened
- 1/2 cup Powdered sugar
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Almonds, finely chopped
- 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder
- 2 tsp Lemon zest
- 2-3 tbsp Milk, optional
Topping
- 2-3 tbsp Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 C / 350 F. Line your baking tray with parchment paper or Silpat.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.3/4 cup Butter softened, 2 cups All-purpose flour
- Stir in the flour, chopped almonds, cinnamon powder, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Use your hands to bring it together into a dough.2 cups All-purpose flour, 1/4 cup Almonds, finely chopped, 1 tsp Cinnamon powder, 1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder, 2 tsp Lemon zest
- You may need to add some milk if the dough seems too dry.2-3 tbsp Milk, optional
- If your dough feels too soft at this point, pop it in the refrigerator for a few minutes, until it firms up.
- Divide the dough into equal portions.
- Working with each portion, shape it into a crescent using your hands - Roll the dough into a short rope and then curve the ends slightly to get that half-moon shape.
- Place on the prepared baking tray and bake at 180 C / 350 F for 12-14 minutes. For me, 12 minutes worked well. If you want a crispier cookie, bake for another 2-3 minutes.
- Cool the cookies slightly, then roll the warm cookies in icing sugar. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy with a cup of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa!
Notes
- Use fresh lemon zest. It adds unbeatable flavor to these lemon cookies! For extra flavor, stir in lemon extract.
- Chill if needed. If your dough feels too soft at step 3, pop it into the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes to firm up.
- Bake time matters. 12 minutes gives softer, more tender cookies. 14 minutes gives slightly crisp edges. Remember, these cookies firm up as they cool.
- Dust sugar on still-warm cookies. The heat helps the sugar stick.
Albertina says
I'm making these cookies today! Thank you for sharing the recipe
Natasha Minocha says
Awesome! Hope you enjoy these cookies. Happy baking! 🙂
Surabhi says
What a gorgeous recipe as always Tasha!
Natasha Minocha says
Thanks so much, Surabhi!xoxo