Vanilla Wafers – A Delicious Cookie for Bake Sales and Pot Lucks

This was actually a pretty busy baking week. In addition to baking for the firemen I had to put together some treats for a fundraiser for the hubby’s environmental group, 350Montana. A fundraiser that he remembered the night before he needed them. At 8PM the night before he needed them. Who needs school age children when there is a husband in the house? I needed something quick but tasty so I went with Vanilla Wafers. Who doesn’t love a classic?

I also made some basic fudge brownies to go with the Vanilla Wafers. I figured most people go to chocolate chip for bake sales so I wanted to do something different. This way I had both major flavors covered. Vanilla Wafers are easy to make and absolutely delicious – that is why I also decided to make them for the firemen this week.

The ingredients are simple and few; this cookie lives and dies by the quality of the vanilla that you use. If you go with imitation or cheap vanilla the cookie will suffer.  I recently discovered vanilla bean paste when browsing around the King Arthur Flour site so I add some for an extra punch of vanilla flavor in recipes where you really want vanilla to shine. You can also add the scrapings from a vanilla bean if you want. But if you only have vanilla extract these will still be good – just use good vanilla! I don’t even remember where the original recipe came from; my copy is handwritten and it came to me from my mother. I’ve adapted it through the years.

Vanilla Wafers

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract and 1 TBS vanilla bean paste OR
2 TBS pure vanilla extract
1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350°

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the eggs and the vanillas. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

Line heavy duty cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. I used a small scoop to place the dough on the sheets. This assures uniform cookies.  You can also use two spoons to drop the dough.

Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes and then rotate the trays and bake for another 4-5 minutes until the cookies just start to brown. You don’t want these cookies to have much color on them. Remove the to a rack to cool.

How Were the Vanilla Wafers?

These cookies are truly delicious – slightly chewy, slightly crunchy with a lovely, true vanilla flavor. They are very tasty on their own and make a perfect cookie for ice cream sandwiches. I have also dipped them in chocolate for a half and half look. I make them quite often as they are so easy to make and with so few ingredients I always have what I need on hand.

The firemen loved them.

Looking for More Cookies?

Homemade Sandwich Cookies

Chewy Molasses Crinkles

Linzer Tarts

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Vanilla Wafers

• Author: Patty@brokenteepee.com
• Category: dessert

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Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract and 1 TBS vanilla bean paste OR
• 2 TBS pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°
2. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the eggs and the vanillas. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
3. Line heavy duty cookie sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. I used a small scoop to place the dough on the sheets. This assures uniform cookies. You can also use two spoons to drop the dough.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes and then rotate the trays and bake for another 4-5 minutes until the cookies just start to brown. You don’t want these cookies to have much color on them. Remove the to a rack to cool.

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