Homemade vanilla cookies are simple cut-out butter cookies made by creaming butter with sugar, adding egg and vanilla, mixing in flour and a little baking powder, chilling the dough, rolling it to 5 mm, cutting shapes, and baking at 180 C (356 F) for 8 to 10 minutes. They take 30 minutes of preparation plus 10 minutes of baking and serve 6 people.
They are easy to make with the whole family, in any shape you like, and perfect with tea or coffee.
How to Make Vanilla Cookies?
This is a traditional cookie dough of flour, butter, and sugar flavored with vanilla extract, best eaten very fresh and ready in about 40 minutes. The dough is creamed, chilled briefly, rolled, and cut.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of vanilla cookies contains approximately 265 kcal, 3 g of protein, 16 g of total fat (10 g of saturated fat), 40 mg of cholesterol, 28 g of carbohydrates, 17 g of sugars, and 120 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Vanilla Cookies Recipe
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 450 g (3 1/2 cups) of all-purpose flour
- 250 g (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) of butter, softened
- 200 g (1 cup) of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the sugar using a whisk until light, fluffy, and pale. Add the egg and vanilla and keep beating until combined.
- Add the sifted flour and baking powder little by little, mixing constantly, then finish bringing the dough together with clean hands until it is smooth and no longer crumbles. Divide the dough in two, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180 C (356 F) for at least 10 minutes. On a smooth, floured surface, roll the dough to about 5 mm (1/5 in) thick, cut shapes with cookie cutters, and place them on a tray lined with foil or a silicone mat.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly golden underneath. Let cool on the tray. Serve cold, dusted with powdered sugar if you like, with tea or coffee.
Additional Tips
Rest the dough longer
If you have time, chill the dough for 1 to 2 hours, or overnight, for better flavor and cookies that keep their shape.
Cream well
Beating butter and sugar until pale incorporates air for a lighter, tender cookie.
Do not overbake
Take them out as soon as the bottoms turn lightly golden; they firm up as they cool.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butter | Margarine | 1:1 | Less flavor |
| Vanilla extract | Seeds from 1/2 vanilla pod | 1:1 | More aromatic |
| All-purpose flour | Cake flour, no baking powder | 1:1 | More tender |
| Plain | Dipped in chocolate | Richer |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why cream the butter with the sugar?
It incorporates air, giving the cookies a softer, lighter texture after baking.
2. Why chill the dough?
Resting relaxes the gluten, makes the dough easier to roll, intensifies the flavor, and helps the cookies keep their shape.
3. Why use baking powder separately?
It lets you control exactly how much the cookies rise.
4. How long do they keep?
In an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
What Are Galletas de Vainilla?
Galletas de vainilla are simple Chilean butter cookies flavored with vanilla, cut into shapes and enjoyed at afternoon tea.
History of Cookies
The word biscuit comes from the Latin bis coctum, twice cooked, a reference to the hard, twice-baked breads of ancient Rome.
Did You Know?
Vanilla comes from an orchid native to Mexico and Central America, first cultivated by the Totonac people of the Gulf coast of Veracruz.
