Cookies

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

I’ve been searching high and low for a vanilla bean cookie recipe to make so that I could try out some of my recently purchased vanilla bean paste. I can’t believe how long I’ve let it just sit in my baking drawer unused! I ended up finding a recipe on where else, Allrecipes.

Did I ever mention why I love sites like Allrecipes? Well first off I’m a review-aholic and when I go on the hunt for a new recipe I love to read several reviews on it before making it. Now that I’ve found so many wonderful food blogs I can say that a photograph speaks just as loud as words and I will also make a recipe based on how delicious it looks.

Ok, back to the cookie. I’ve been dying to use my vanilla bean paste and make a simple vanilla bean cookie. My prerequisites for the cookie included for it to be soft, chewy, and light. I found a recipe for Easy Sugar Cookies and I was sold by the reviews and the photo.

Only one slight problem, I wasn’t really sold on the 2 sticks of butter ;-). Well I guess I can say this recipe was really just one to branch off from because I ended up changing it quite a bit. I reduced the flour, sugar, and butter. I added salt, greek vanilla yogurt, and replaced vanilla extract with my vanilla bean paste.

In the end the cookie met all of my requirements and I received a thumbs up from all family members. I also decided to use one of my vanilla beans to make frosting and it turned out to be a great compliment.

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
1 egg
1/3 cup greek vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In medium bowl stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In mixer cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg, greek vanilla yogurt, and the vanilla bean paste. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Use cookie scoop to make tablespoon size balls. Roll and then flatten cookies with back of glass before baking. Bake for 8-10 minutes just until sides are golden. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before moving to cooling rack. Enjoy plain or add frosting!

Note: You can also bake at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons of milk
1 vanilla bean (cut lengthwise and scrape out vanilla)

Use mixer or just stir by hand. Add milk as needed to make frosting thinner or add a little more powdered sugar to thicken.

4 Comments

    • Jennifer Lewis

      Amanda, I know they are expensive. This was my first purchase of vanilla beans and paste. I purchased them from http://www.beanilla.com and the paste was definitely worth it. I got 3 Madagascar Vanilla Beans for under $5 and 4oz of vanilla bean paste for $12. Not too shabby. Now I don’t know how their vanilla products compare to others yet since this is the first time I purchased but I’m happy ;-)!

  • Paula

    Your frosted cookies look great! I bake sugar cookies all the time using Nielsen Massey’s Vanilla Bean Paste, in fact any and every recipe that calls for vanilla extract will find me using the paste.

    You will get a lot more cookies out of a 4oz bottle of this using 1 tsp. for every batch than you would using Vanilla Beans. I buy my paste on-line at http://golda's kitchen.com/ but you (Amanda) may be able to source it locally at a baking supply store. Golda’s Kitchen will ship to the U.S. and worldwide but you pay extra for shipping. You may find that it is worth it. She also sells the paste in a 32 oz. bottle and I have one coming this week! You won’t want to bake without it once you start using it.

    • Jennifer Lewis

      Thank you! I will have to try out Nielsen Massey’s Vanilla Bean Paste when my paste runs out. So far I’m pleased with my purchase from http://www.beanilla.com . Pricing wasn’t too bad ;-). I’m excited about the paste lasting a long time! Right now I buy my pure vanilla extract from Costco for less than $6 and it’s a great buy for pure vanilla and you get 16oz! Loving my vanilla bean paste though!

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