Vanilla (Nilla) Wafers: Fantastic Vanilla, Buttery, Crunchy Cookies
This homemade vanilla cookie recipe is a great alternative to the store-bought version. It provides the traditional vanilla, buttery, crunchy cookie you expect in a Vanilla (Nilla) Wafer. Use these cookies in homemade banana pudding or crumble and mix with melted butter to use as a dessert pie crust for banana cream pie, cheesecake, etc. Dip them in chocolate sauce, sweetened cream dip, caramel sauce, or dulce de leche, or crumble over ice cream. Yum!
Servings: 80 cookies
Ingredients
- 4 oz (1 stick / 8 tbsp) butter softened
- 90 g (¾ cup) powdered sugar
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar superfine preferred (pulverize regular sugar in food processor)
- 2 large egg whites room temperature
- 1 large egg (yolk & white) room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 180 g (1½ cups) all-purpose flour fluffed, scooped, and leveled off if using measuring cup
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, blend butter until smooth. Add sugars and mix until light and fluffy. Slowly add in egg whites, one at time, mixing in between. Then, add the whole egg (yolk & white) and mix until smooth. Add vanilla and continue mixing until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Once sifted, give them a quick stir to ensure they are well combined.
- Add about half the flour mixture to butter mixture and stir just until combined. Add remaining flour and mix just until combined without overmixing.
- Scoop mixture into a piping bag or zip-top bag. The tip should be ½ inch wide. If using a zip-top bag, place one corner in the bottom of a drinking glass folding the top over around the outside edge of the glass. Scoop the batter in the bag in the corner at the bottom of the glass. Use scissors and cut off ½-inch wide tip.TIP: Since this is a thick batter, tap the bottom of the glass on the counter as you scoop the batter in the glass, so the batter will drop down allowing you space to add all of it. A gallon-size bag is the best option for the amount of batter.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F (177˚C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Pipe dollops of batter (just a simple ½-1-inch dollop) on the baking sheet about an inch apart. Careful not to pipe too much batter per cookie because they will spread in the oven. I can fit 20 cookies (4 rows x 5) on a 17x12-inch baking sheet.TIP: If parchment paper curls up, add a spot of cookie batter to each corner of the baking sheet (like glue) and press the parchment paper down to adhere it to the baking sheet. The paper will stay flat.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Eat and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Storage:
Store cookies at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. You can freeze in an airtight bag or container for several months.
Serving Suggestions:
Use these cookies in homemade banana pudding or crumble and mix with melted butter to use as a dessert pie crust for banana cream pie, cheesecake, etc. Use them to dip in chocolate sauce, sweetened cream dip, caramel sauce, or dulce de leche. Why not crumble them over ice cream?