Vanillekipferl

Scrape the seeds from the halved vanilla beans and set aside. Sift together the all-purpose flour, finely shredded almonds, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl.

Cut the cold butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Using fingertips or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized pieces remaining.

Create a well in the center of the mixture and add the egg yolk and vanilla seeds. Stir gently with a fork, then bring the dough together with your hands until just combined; do not overwork.

Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Turn the chilled dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to about 1/4-inch thickness. Using a crescent-shaped cutter or knife, cut the dough into crescent shapes.

Arrange the kipferl cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10–12 minutes until the edges are light golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.