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    You are here: Home / Desserts / Cookies / Vanilla Wafers Recipe

    Vanilla Wafers Recipe

    March 18, 2021 By Sam 74 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    collage of vanilla waffers, top image close up of multiple waffers, bottom image of them on gold wire tray

    My homemade vanilla wafers are perfect for enjoying on their own or in banana pudding, can be made in less than 30 minutes with basic ingredients (and there’s no chilling required)! Recipe includes a how-to video!

    Vanilla wafers on a gold rack

    Homemade ‘Nilla Wafers

    Oh the humble, unassuming vanilla wafer. Such a simple little cookie, perfect for snacking on its own or smothered in vanilla pudding and bananas (they also make a great banana cream pie crust).

    If you follow me on Instagram, you got a sneak peek at these cookies a while ago, and you know that despite their overall simplicity, developing a good recipe for them was actually pretty complicated.

    I used this vanilla wafer recipe as an example for how exactly I go through the process of developing a recipe (the stories are still available in my highlights) and I documented about 5 attempts in one day, though ultimately the recipe took me over 10 tries to totally perfect (who would’ve thought!).

    Finally I’m ready to share this perfected sweet and simple recipe. It uses basic ingredients you probably already have on hand, meaning there’s no excuse to buy those yellow-box cookies! Let’s get to it.

    What You Need

    Ingredients for vanilla wafers
    Ingredients

    The main thing that I love about these cookies? They’re easy to make, fuss-free with very basic ingredients. Let’s go over a few of them:

    • Butter. For perfect flavor (and for complete control over that flavor), I use unsalted butter and add salt. If you only have salted butter on hand just reduce the salt that the recipe calls for to ¼ teaspoon.
    • Vanilla extract. You need quite a bit of vanilla for this recipe: 4 teaspoons. Fortunately, if you don’t feel inclined to dip into your stockpile of the “good stuff” (anyone else make homemade vanilla extract?) this recipe works well with imitation instead. In fact, it may even give you a flavor that’s closer to the vanilla cookies sold in a yellow box at the store…
    • Egg. Just one! I tried this recipe with no eggs (too crumbly, dry, and all-around lacking), just the yolk (too tender, didn’t spread enough), just the white (not as good as using both the yolk and egg) and ultimately settled with one single egg.
    • All-purpose flour. I tested this recipe with all-purpose and cake flour hoping for a finer crumb and a slightly more crumbly results with cake flour. To my surprise, the all-purpose flour won every time. Possibly also worth noting: I tried many versions using cornstarch (one of my favorite secret ingredients). I was sure it would help me get the consistency I was looking for, but ultimately that proved to not be the case!
    • Milk. I recommend and personally use whole milk but I suppose 2% would work in a pinch.

    Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

    How to Make Vanilla Wafers

    1. Beat together sugar and butter, then stir in eggs and vanilla extract.
    2. Separately, whisk together dry ingredients. Stir half into the wet ingredients, then stir in your milk, then the rest of the dry ingredients. This just makes a more cohesive batter than if you were to add the milk with the butter mixture (where it tends to separate).
    3. Drop the dough by rounded spoonful onto a baking sheet, spacing cookies 2 inches (5cm) apart. This is a fairly soft dough.
    4. Lightly flatten the dough with dampened fingertips. This encourages them to spread jusssssttt enough and to cook evenly, otherwise they may end up too thick, meaning centers that are softer and chewier than they ought to be (vanilla wafers should be thinner and crisp!).

    When they’re finished baking, the cookies will be pale golden in color with deeper golden edges. If you flip one over, the edge should be deep golden in color as well. If yours isn’t, it may just need more time in the oven.

    Closeup of wafers on a gold rack

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Do these taste just like store-bought vanilla wafers?

    No, they’re much better. The vanilla wafers you can buy in the store are overwhelmed by artificial flavors and some questionable ingredients (I’m clearly no health-food-fanatic, but high fructose corn syrup and unpronounceable ingredients are a turn off for me).
    It’s those artificial flavors that overpower the store-bought cookies and gives them their distinct taste. This taste can’t be replicated by home bakers like us who are using commonly available (and… cough*so-much-better*cough) ingredients.
    My vanilla wafers instead are richly flavored with real vanilla, perfectly sweetened with just the right amount of crunch, and accented with buttery undertones. It’s clear that they’re vanilla wafers, but they’re much better than anything you could buy at the store.

    Can this recipe be doubled?

    Yes, this recipe doubles well. However keep in mind that while it may not seem like very much dough, the cookies are small and this recipe makes quite a few!

    Can I use homemade vanilla wafers for banana pudding

    Absolutely! I just did so with my own banana pudding recipe, which I’ll be sharing on Monday! One batch makes enough for banana pudding (my recipe, anyway).

    How do you keep vanilla wafers fresh?

    The wafers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-5 days. If I’m going to be making banana pudding with them, sometimes I’ll leave them out uncovered overnight, just to make them a bit stale before I use them in the pudding.

    Closeup of wafers showing tops and bottoms

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    Enjoy!

    Let’s bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card! 

    Closeup showing the tops and bottoms of vanilla wafers

    Vanilla Wafers

    These easy to make vanilla wafers are done in under 30 minutes and require no chilling! Recipe includes a how-to video!
    5 from 48 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Cookies, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 13 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 23 minutes minutes
    Servings: 55 cookies
    Calories: 39kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened
    • ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
    • 1 large egg room temperature preferred
    • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
    • ¾ teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 Tablespoon milk

    Recommended Equipment

    • Mixing bowls
    • Baking sheet
    • 2-teaspoon cookie scoop
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
    • Combine butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to beat together until creamy and well-combined.
      ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
    • Add egg and vanilla extract and stir on medium/low speed until completely combined.
      1 large egg, 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
      1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
    • Add about half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir on low-speed to combine.
    • Add milk and stir again on low speed until combined.
      1 Tablespoon milk
    • Finally, add remaining flour mixture and stir until combined.
    • Scoop dough into two-teaspoon sized scoops and drop onto prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2” (5cm) apart. Lightly flatten with damp fingertips.
    • Bake on 350F (175C) for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are light golden brown around the edges.
    • Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 39kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 56IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dianne

      May 13, 2023 at 4:52 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for a wonderful recipe! I would highly recommend making these wafers and stop buying the store bought wafers. Easy to follow instructions. I admit I looked at other recipes and they used a piping bag and I don’t have one and didn’t want to buy one. Mine look just like the ones pictured. My husband says way better flavor than store bought.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        May 15, 2023 at 10:37 am

        So glad you enjoyed them so much, Dianne! Thanks for trying our recipe 🥰

        Reply
    2. Foxy

      May 07, 2023 at 6:06 pm

      5 stars
      Simply delicious. I‘ve made them twice and they come out perfect! I put mine in a piping bag and pipe them out about macaroon size.Never need to store bought again.

      Reply
    3. Lisa Atkins.

      May 03, 2023 at 11:23 pm

      5 stars
      I made them! And finally, after many years of looking at and trying several recipes, I got what I was looking for.
      Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        May 04, 2023 at 8:45 am

        Yay! We’re so happy our recipe was a winner for you, Lisa 😊

        Reply
    4. Amandalyn

      April 28, 2023 at 3:23 pm

      Ok so I know it’s not terribly important but I app that you put the measurements next to their steps. I received carbon monoxide poisoning and it was a difficult thing for me to jump back and forth and remember a measurement and the small extra step makes this one I can follow! Thank you! Like I said not important but appreciated.

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 30, 2023 at 9:31 pm

        I’m so glad it’s helpful, Amandalyn! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Terry

      March 25, 2023 at 2:11 pm

      Hi Sam! Greetings from Alberta, Canada 🍁 🇨🇦
      I read numerous comments that said a piping &/or Ziploc bag was used to form the wafers. Does this mean I could use it in my never-before-used cookie press?
      And – I understand banana pudding is a THING in the South, but please educate this poor old Northern woman on what, exactly, vanilla wafers have to do with it. Thanks so much!

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 25, 2023 at 10:34 pm

        Hi Terry! I’m not sure how a cookie press will work, there’s a chance they don’t hold their shape very well. Traditionally banana pudding is made with vanilla wafers so instead of using store bought I like to have a homemade version. 🙂

        Reply
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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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