Vanilla Sugar Cookies
Soft and chewy Vanilla Sugar Cookies made with real vanilla beans and extract. The recipe includes an easy beginner-friendly icing recipe perfect for decorating.
EQUIPMENT
- 2 baking sheet - light colored metal, lined with parchment paper
- 2 wire cooling rack
- Rolling Pin - heavy marble
- cookie cutters
- decorating equipment - piping bags, couplers, piping tips (#2, #3, #4), or icing spatula
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups all-purpose flour - measured using spoon and level method
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean - Tahitian or Madagascar
- 1 cup unsalted butter - softened to room temperature and cubed
- 1 egg - room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
SIMPLE COOKIE ICING
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar - confectioner's sugar
- 2 - 2½ tablespoons warm water
- 1 teaspoon butter vanilla bakery emulsion - optional, from LorAnn
- 1 teaspoon light corn syrup
- gel food coloring - optional, AmeriColor
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cut the vanilla bean pod in half lengthwise, then use knife to scrape out the seeds. Add to a large bowl with the granulated sugar and rub together until the seeds are fully incorporated into the sugar.
- To the same bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cubed unsalted butter and beat together until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beat on medium-high for a minute or until combined. Add the dry ingredients from step 1 and mix on low until just combined.
- Between 2 sheets of parchment paper roll out the dough to a 1/4 to 1/2-inch thickness. Refrigerate flat for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
- Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Using a lightly floured cookie cutter, cut shapes out and transfer to a baking sheet. Arrange the cookies 2 to 3 inches apart. Gather the cookie dough scraps, re-roll, refrigerate for 30 minutes, and continue cutting until all dough is used.
- Bake for 6 to 12 minutes or until the edges are set and the center lightly glistens. 6 minutes for 1 inch cookies, 7 minutes for 2 inch cookies, 8 minutes for 3 inch cookies, 9 minutes for 4 inch cookies, and 10+ minutes for 5 inch cookies. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, warm water, and butter vanilla bakery emulsion until smooth. Add the corn syrup and continue to whisk until fully incorporated. For a more thin consistency add warm water 1 teaspoon at a time. For a more thick consistency add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Feel free to dye it with gel food coloring.ELIZABETH'S NOTE: The consistency as prepared (without additions of powdered sugar or water) is what I used to decorate cookies pictured. Add an extra tablespoon of water if dipping the cookies in icing. Add an extra few tablespoons of powdered sugar if spreading on the icing with a knife.
- Decorate the cooled cookies with icing as desired, additional tips below. Allow the icing to harden before storing, gifting, or serving. It can take between 6 and 24 hours depending on how thick the icing is and the amount of humidity in the air.
RECIPE NOTES
- Use a toothpick to remove air bubbles or pointy dots. Lightly poke them or swirl them with your toothpick. They will immediately smooth out.
- Tone down the bright, saturated colors of your icing with black gel food coloring. Just dip a toothpick into the black and add very small amounts to the icing until desired color.
- Alternatives to icing. Leave them plain or decorate them with a crusting buttercream (I like this recipe).
STORING INFORMATION
- Room temperature, in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag (with waxed paper or parchment paper between the layers), for up to 7 days.
- Refrigerated, in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag (with waxed paper or parchment paper between the layers) for up to 10 days.
- Frozen, in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag (with waxed paper or parchment paper between the layers), for up to 3 months.
- Heat seal (impact seal) individual cookies in cellophane baggies to last up to 1 month.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
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