Nusskipferl(Nut Crecents)

Nusskipferl are a classic Austrian cookie that straddles the line between pastry and confection. The dough is rich with butter, sour cream, and egg yolks, which makes it incredibly tender and flaky once baked. A packet of yeast gives just enough lift to create delicate layers without turning these into bread.

The filling is essentially a meringue-based almond paste. Egg whites whipped to soft peaks get folded with ground almonds, sugar, and vanilla, creating a light, sweet filling that stays moist inside the rolled crescent while the outside bakes golden and crisp.

Rolling the dough thin (⅛ inch) is important. Thick dough overwhelms the filling and the crescents lose their delicate character. Each rectangle gets just a teaspoon of filling before being rolled up jelly-roll style and curved into a crescent shape on the baking sheet.

Chef Tips

• Let the dough rest the full hour. The butter and sour cream need time to hydrate the flour, and the yeast needs time to work. Skipping this gives you a stiff, crumbly dough.
• Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, not stiff. Stiff peaks make the filling too airy and it puffs out of the crescents during baking.
• Roll out in small batches, keeping the rest covered. This dough warms up fast and gets sticky.
• Store in airtight tins. These keep well for a week and actually improve after a day as the flavors meld.

Variations

• Use ground walnuts or hazelnuts instead of almonds for a different nut flavor.
• Dust cooled crescents with powdered sugar for a festive holiday look.
• Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the filling for a spiced version.