Melt-in-the-mouth Vanilla Bean Cookies

These melt-in-the-mouth vanilla bean cookies are rich and buttery and vanilla flavor make by using a real vanilla bean, vanilla sugar, and vanilla bean powder on top.

Perfect holiday season gift and a special treat to serve with a cup of tea or coffee.

Time

• Total time: 40 Minutes

Key Ingredients Needed

For the cookie dough

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2/3 cup (80 g) icing sugar
• 1 sachet (9 g) vanilla sugar
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 large egg
• 4.4 oz. (125 g) unsalted butter, softened

For gilding

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoon (20 g) brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder

Instructions/Step By Step Directions

Step 1: Heat oven to 355 degrees F/180 degrees C. Line cookie sheets (or a baking sheet) with parchment paper.

Step 2: To extract the seeds from a vanilla bean, cut it half lengthwise. Then, run a knife across the inside of the bean as you go and scape the seed pulp on the edge of the blade.

Step 3: To make the cookie dough, mix flour with baking powder in a large bowl and sift the flour mixture using a flour sifter.

Step 4: Dig a well in the dry ingredients and place granulated sugar, vanilla sugar, scraped vanilla bean seeds, and the egg in the center. Mix with a rubber spatula.

Step 5: Add the softened butter cut into pieces and mix the cookie dough quickly, using your hands. Shape dough as a ball.

Step 6: Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to ¼-5/16″/0.6-0.8 cm thick.

Step 7: Dip your favorite cookie cutters (for example, a flower cookie cutter) into flour and cut out shapes. Place cookies on the parchment of the cookie sheet.

Step 8: Combine the egg yolk with milk in a small bowl and whisk with a fork. Brush each cookie with the egg wash.

Step 9: Sift brown sugar and vanilla bean powder in a separate bowl and sprinkle cookies evenly.

Step 10: Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Let the baked cookies cool on the sheets for at least 10 minutes; then transfer to a wire rack.

How to store

Store vanilla bean butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

To freeze the baked cookies, place them in a plastic or glass container and freeze them for three months. To thaw, bring the cookies to the counter for about 1 to 2 hours.

To freeze the cookie dough, cover it with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.

To defrost, bring to room temperature until soft. Roll, cut out and bake as desired.

Notes/Tips

• Using different cookie cutters, ensure your cookies are of the same shape and size. It is essential for even baking.
• Don’t discard the empty vanilla bean pod. Instead, add it to a container with granulated sugar, cover it and store it at room temperature. Enjoy your vanilla-infused sugar in yogurt or tea.

Nutrition Information

• Serving size: 1 cookie

Amount Per Serving

• Calories: 118
• Sugar: 5.4 g
• Sodium: 6 mg
• Fat: 5.7 g
• Saturated Fat: 3.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 15.2 g
• Fiber: 0.4 g
• Protein: 1.8 g
• Cholesterol: 33 mg

* All nutritional information provided is approximate/estimated and can vary depending on several factors such as the exact ingredients you use, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
* Nutritional values were obtained with automatic software using the amounts of products used. To get the most accurate representation of the nutritional values, you should calculate them with the actual ingredients used in your recipe. You are solely responsible for the nutritional information obtained to be accurate.