Soft and buttery with the flavors of your favorite chai latte, these traditionally shaped German Chai Kipferl Cookies are perfect for the holidays.

White plate on a parchment lined baking sheet with Cinnamon Sugar Coated Chai Kipferl Cookies.

What are Kipferl?

The name Kipferl refers to the crescent shape of the cookie. These are traditionally simply flavored with just vanilla or vanilla and almond. They have a crumbly shortbread texture without being dry. This recipe is slightly different because it includes chai flavors but is otherwise very similar to the original.

How to shape Kipferl?

Shaping kipferl cookies can be a little tedious; however, baking at the holidays isn’t meant to be rushed. To shape them, simply portion out the dough into 1 1/2 tbsp sized balls. Then gently roll each ball into a longer roll that is about 1/2″ thick in the center and slightly tapered towards the ends. Carefully curve the roll into a crescent shape and bake.

Can these be made in advance?

Yes! As long as they are stored in an airtight container, these kipferl will keep well for 1-2 weeks. If you coat them in powdered sugar, you may want to re roll them before serving.

Tips for making Chai Kipferl Cookies

Make sure the butter is soft – this will allow the dough to come together faster without developing gluten and causing the cookies to be tough.
When mixing the dough, be careful not to over mix it. However, it should be a smooth cohesive ball of dough rather than still crumbly.
Be gentle when shaping the cookies, the dough is fragile and will crack easily. If it does, simply press the cracks back together.
Allow the cookies to cool for between 5 and 10 minutes before coating them in powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. If you do it too early, the cookies will break and crumble. If you wait too long, the sugar won’t stick.

Ingredients

All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour should work for these Kipferl! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
Almond Flour: Kipferl are always made with some amount of ground nuts – I find it easiest to use almond flour rather than blanching and blending the almonds but you can do that if you prefer.
Butter: Butter adds moisture to the cookies and gives them their soft crumbly texture.
White Sugar: These cookies use granulated sugar for sweetness and for the cinnamon sugar coating.
Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract enhances the Chai flavors of the cookies.
Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves, and Cardamom: These four spices create the classic chai flavor. The fresher the spices, the stronger the flavor.
Black Tea Bags: The contents of two black tea bags add another element of the chai flavor.
Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar is used for the coating on half of the cookies.

Overhead image of a Chai Kipferl cookie in a bowl of powdered sugar.

How to make Kipferl Cookies

Make the Dough

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place two racks in the oven so that they divide the oven into thirds.
In the a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, almond flour, sugar, spices, and contents of the tea bags.
Add in the softened butter and vanilla.
Use an electric mixer to full combine all ingredients into a cohesive smooth dough.

Shape the Cookies

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Portion the dough into 1 1/2 tbsp scoops.
Roll each ball of dough into a log that is 1/2″ thick in the center and slightly tapered at the ends.
Gently shape each roll into a crescent shape and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1″ between each cookie.

Bake the Cookies

Bake both sheets of cookies in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, rotating and swapping the baking sheets after 10 minutes.
While the cookies bake, fill one bowl with powdered sugar and one with cinnamon sugar to coat the cookies with after they bake.
After the cookies are finished baking, remove the baking sheets and place them on cooling racks to cool for 5-10 minutes. They should still be warm.
Roll half of the cookies in the powdered sugar and half in the cinnamon sugar.
The cookies rolled in the powdered sugar will need to be rolled a second time about 10 minutes after they have been rolled the firs time.

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