These hazelnut crescents combine rich butter and nutty hazelnut flavor and literally melt in your mouth. Known as vanilkové rohlíčky in Czech, these crescent-shaped shortbread cookies are a holiday favorite and a must for the Christmas season.
Hazelnut crescent cookies
Hazelnut crescents (Vanilkové rohlíčky) are a traditional Christmas cookie in many Central European households. This recipe uses a simple shortbread-style dough enriched with ground hazelnuts and finished in a dusting of powdered sugar mixed with vanilla sugar. The cookies are tender, slightly crumbly and fragrant from the vanilla coating—make a double or triple batch; they tend to disappear fast.
In some German variations the crescents are rolled in a blend of powdered sugar and cinnamon, which is equally delicious. You can try half the batch with cinnamon and half with vanilla for variety.
What ingredients you need for hazelnut crescents
- All-purpose flour
- Ground hazelnuts (hazelnut flour)
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Granulated sugar
- Icing / powdered sugar
- Vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract as an alternative)
How to make the dough
Room-temperature butter: For the best texture, use butter softened to room temperature so it can be worked easily into the dough.
Combine dry ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a food processor, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar and finely ground hazelnuts.
Add butter and form dough: Cut the softened butter into roughly 1-inch cubes. Add the butter to the dry mix and blend on low speed just until the dough comes together and forms a ball. Avoid overworking.
Chill the dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour; 2 hours or overnight is even better. Chilling firms the fat so the cookies keep their shape and don’t spread while baking.
Shaping and baking
Shape the crescents: Remove the chilled dough, divide it into three equal portions. On a lightly floured surface roll each portion into a cylinder about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Cut the cylinder into pieces about 3/4 inch (2 cm) wide. Roll each piece between your palms into a thin rope roughly 3 inches (7–8 cm) long and gently curve into a crescent shape.
Bake: Arrange crescents on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1/4 inch apart. Preheat the oven to 177 °C / 350 °F and bake on the middle rack for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the bottoms are lightly golden.
Coat in vanilla sugar: While still warm—not piping hot—toss the crescents in a bowl with sifted icing sugar combined with vanilla sugar. The warm cookies absorb the sugar, leaving a fragrant, powdery coating.
How to store Christmas cookies
Store dry cookies without frosting in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. In colder climates you can keep them in an unheated area such as a garage during winter if temperatures are stable between roughly 4–10 °C (39–50 °F). The refrigerator is the safest option for longer storage: these hazelnut crescents will keep up to three weeks when refrigerated in an airtight container.
For longer storage, freeze the cooled, coated crescents in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Recipe
Hazelnut Crescents (Vanilkové rohlíčky)
Servings: 30 crescents | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 10 mins | Chilling: 1 hr | Total time: 1 hr 25 mins
Ingredients
- 2 & 1/8 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅞ cup (200 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (80 g) ground hazelnuts
Coating
- 1 cup (120 g) icing / powdered sugar
- 2 pkg (18 g) vanilla sugar, or about 2 tablespoons (adjust to taste)
Equipment
- Large baking sheet lined with parchment paper
Instructions
- Cut the softened butter into 1-inch cubes. In a stand mixer bowl combine flour, granulated sugar and ground hazelnuts. Add butter and beat on low speed until dough forms a ball.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly to form a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (2 hours preferred).
- Preheat oven to 177 °C / 350 °F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide chilled dough into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 1-inch-diameter cylinder, cut into 3/4-inch pieces, then roll each piece between your palms into a 3-inch rope and shape into a crescent.
- Place crescents on the prepared baking sheet about 1/4 inch apart. Bake 10–12 minutes until set and lightly golden.
- While warm, gently toss crescents in a mixture of sifted icing sugar and vanilla sugar. Let cool completely before storing.
Notes
- Chilling: Chilling is essential—cold dough prevents spreading and keeps the crescent shape.
- Stand mixer: A stand mixer or food processor speeds the process, but the dough can be mixed by hand.
- Nut variations: You can substitute ground almonds, walnuts or pecans if you prefer.
- Vanilla sugar alternative: If vanilla sugar is unavailable, add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the dough and omit or reduce vanilla sugar in the coating.
- Measuring: For consistent results use a digital kitchen scale. The recipe uses 1 cup = 250 ml (US cup) for reference.
More Christmas cookie recipes
- Linzer cookies
- Walnut crescents with chocolate buttercream
- Mini Florentine cookies
- Coconut macaroons
- Raffaello coconut balls
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This recipe celebrates classic Czech holiday baking: tender, nutty crescents finished in fragrant vanilla sugar. Enjoy making them for holiday gatherings or as a special treat any time of year.