Vanillekipferl

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. (5 minutes)

Add the softened butter and egg yolks to the dry ingredients. Knead by hand until a smooth, cohesive dough forms. (8-10 minutes)

Divide the dough into four equal portions. Shape each portion into a rectangle, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight, to allow the dough to firm up. (1 hour +)

Prepare the vanilla sugar: In a food processor, combine the remaining 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.

Carefully slice each vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Using the back of a knife, scrape out the fragrant vanilla seeds and add them to the sugar in the food processor.

Pulse the mixture until the vanilla seeds are evenly distributed throughout the sugar. Transfer the vanilla sugar to a shallow bowl and set aside. (5 minutes)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. (10 minutes)

Remove one portion of the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Keep the remaining dough chilled. Divide the portion into 6 equal pieces.

On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 1/2-inch thick log. Cut each log crosswise into 2-inch segments.

Gently roll or pinch the ends of each segment to form crescent shapes. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each. (20 minutes per batch)

Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly golden brown, but the tops remain pale. (10-12 minutes per batch)

Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool for 2 minutes on the sheets before handling.

While the cookies are still warm, gently roll them in the prepared vanilla sugar, ensuring they are evenly coated. Brush off any excess sugar. (5 minutes per batch)

Transfer the sugared cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat the process with the remaining chilled dough, baking in batches. (As needed)