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!
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
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
- Beat together sugar and butter, then stir in eggs and vanilla extract.
- 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).
- Drop the dough by rounded spoonful onto a baking sheet, spacing cookies 2 inches (5cm) apart. This is a fairly soft dough.
- 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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!
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).
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.
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Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card!
Vanilla Wafers
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
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
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.
Annette
These turned out absolutely delicious from the 1st batch! So easy to make. Thank you for this recipe. Will definitely be making more!
Jeremiah
I use these for sugar cookies as well; just make them thicker. Absolutely divine; light, soft, pillowy and delicious! Thanks.
Alison
This turned out perfect! I had a banana and a box of jello pudding mix and was hit with a sudden desire to turn it into a makeshift banana pudding … rather than run to the store for wafers, I figured I could make some and found this recipe. I followed it exactly and they are delicious! Not sure how big my scoop is but they seemed to be about the right size… for me this made 53 wafers.
Charles
Easy recipe – rapid results – just finished baking a batch and of course tasting the results. Wonderful since we no longer have to buy them. Yum
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Charles! 🙂
Naomi
Perfect! Had to sub a bit of almond extract because I ran out of vanilla but still delicious! I can’t get vanilla wafers in the Netherlands unfortunately so happy to have a taste of home!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Naomi! 🙂
Hannah
Hooray for homemade! I was so excited to try these, and I was not disappointed. When they first came out of the oven, I ate one and they were cake-like. I thought, “Oh well. They taste great.” After they had cooled, I had another and was most pleasantly surprised! They are just like store brought vanilla wafers in texture. Well done! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you enjoyed them so much, Hannah ☺️
Stefanie
These are perfect little cookies. And easy to make! Thanks for the recipe…I used the wafers to garnish a banana cream pie but can’t wait to make a banana pudding with them.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We are so happy you like them, Stefanie! They sound perfect for your pie. Enjoy 😊
Heather Vaughn
I LOVE, this site every recipe I’ve tried has come out awesome (including these wafers) and I love the name. I would like to thank you for putting the ingredients/amounts under each instruction paragraph. I have been hoping someone would do that since starting to use online recipes, my phone is thankful too now that I’m not having to scroll back and forth with fingers covered in flour, sugar, butter, ect…
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy it’s helpful, Heather! It’s one of our favorite features too 🥰
Heather Berkey
Hello, I was making my husband banana pudding for Father’s Day and realized I forgot the wafers. I knew I could find something to substitute BUT this exceeded all expectations. I don’t want to go back to eating it any other way now. It is so good!!! Thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Heather! 🙂
Michelle R Jones
I made these delicious cookies today. They are easy to make and much better than packaged vanilla wafers! I made them for banana pudding. I think they will be amazing with the pudding. Thank you so much Sam! 🥰
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We hope you loved them in the pudding, Michelle! Thanks for the review ❤️
Catherine
Could I use a frosting bag and pipe these out? I live in Europe and need the mini version of the boxed cookie to make “acorns” for a woodland themed birthday party…I worry scooping might make them too big, or too inconsistent!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Catherine! Several readers have done this successfully, so we say go for it! Hope you love the cookies 😊
Susan
Hi Sam,
Can these be made as lemon flavored wafers? I generally prefer lemon juice to lemon extract but not sure I’ll get enough lemon flavor.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Susan! We haven’t tried making a lemon version, but we suspect the lemon juice wouldn’t be quite strong enough 😕
Charles
Try finely grated lemon peel. I use it in shortbread and it produces a hint of lemon and does not dilute.
Hyedi
Also, with the lemon juice, you don’t want to add more water to the recipe,could thin out the batter. I’d use extract. Please correct me if I’m wrong, Anyone.
Dianne
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.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
So glad you enjoyed them so much, Dianne! Thanks for trying our recipe 🥰
Foxy
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.
Lisa Atkins.
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!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Yay! We’re so happy our recipe was a winner for you, Lisa 😊
Jodi
Has anyone tried these in homemade banana pudding yet?
Sam
Hi Jodi! I actually have a banana pudding recipe that uses these and it’s awesome! 🙂
Hyedi
I made these today, to make Magnolias famous Banana pudding dessert.
Wafer cookies is an ingredient , I didn’t have that on hand.. so homemade instead.
Well, I cannot figure out why mine turned out cakey, instead of dry and firm.
I gave it a five star because it’s my fault , I must have done something wrong.
Delicious none the less!
Sam
I’m so sorry to hear they didn’t turn out, Hyedi! They may have needed to bake a little bit longer or a little too much flour may have been used. 🙁
Valerie Cantu
How long can you store these for?
Sam
Hi Valerie! I actually cover storage for these wafers in the post. 🙂
Amandalyn
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.
Sam
I’m so glad it’s helpful, Amandalyn! 🙂
Jean L Robison
I made these cookies up today and they came out good. Great flavor.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for letting us know, Jean! Enjoy 🥰
Terry
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!
Sam
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. 🙂
Christine Wright
Banana pudding in the South is a layered dessert similar to a trifle. It calls for a base of vanilla wafers topped with a pastry cream (banana pudding) with caramelized bananas and whipped cream. Southern women have brought them to potlucks all my life and then some… They’re super easy to throw together and they taste good.
Diane
can no longer find them in Ontario, Canada…I guess I’ll have to start baking them. I used them for a base in my mini cheesecake recipe. thanks