Homemade Vanilla Wafers
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Homemade Vanilla Wafers are surprisingly simple to make, but the results are so good. They have crisp edges, a tender center, and lots of real vanilla flavor. After trying these, the boxed ones just don't compare.
I've tried a few different vanilla wafer recipes, but none of them tasted all that much like the original. This one really nails it. It has the same crunchy texture but isn't at all hard. The cookies practically melt in your mouth, with a rich, buttery, and intensely fragrant vanilla flavor.
Best of all, the recipe is so simple. Just a handful of basic ingredients in the mixer, and you've got a batch big enough to make around 65 cookies. Now that's a lot of toddler snacks!
These cookies are really versatile. You can eat them on their own, make sandwich cookies with frosting, crumble them into parfaits, or use them as a homemade crust for banana pudding or cheesecake.
Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Real ingredients, real flavor. Butter, milk, and vanilla give these a rich, bakery-style taste.
- The method is simple: just one bowl, quick mixing, and no need to chill the dough.
- Perfect texture. They have a light, crisp texture and a delicate sweetness.
- So versatile. Eat them straight up, or use them anywhere you'd use store-bought wafers.
Ingredients You'll Need
The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you're cooking.
- Unsalted butter: Unsalted butter gives the wafers their classic, rich, and crisp texture. If you only have salted butter, just use a little less added salt.
- Powdered sugar: Makes the cookies extra tender and gives them a melt-in-your-mouth feel.
- Granulated sugar: Creates crisp edges and the perfect sweetness.
- Milk: Loosens the dough just enough for piping and keeps the cookies from baking up dry. Whole milk is ideal, but lower-fat works.
- Vanilla extract: The star flavor. Use a good one since it really shows here.
- All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour gives the cookies structure but keeps them light. Be sure to spoon and level the flour so you don't use too much.
- Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the vanilla flavor.
In Photos: How To Make Vanilla Wafers
Step 1: Prep your pans
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper so the cookies come off easily and bake evenly.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugars
Beat the butter, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar together for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is pale and fluffy. This step is important for a light texture, so make sure to mix well.
Step 3: Add the liquids
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the milk and vanilla. Mix just until everything is combined.
Step 4: Mix in the dry ingredients
Add the flour and salt, and stir until you don't see any dry spots. Try not to overmix, as this can make the cookies less tender.
Step 5: Pipe the cookies
Put the dough into a piping bag with a plain round tip (1A). Pipe 1-inch (2.5 cm) circles onto the baking sheets, leaving space between each for spreading.
Step 6: Bake
Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, until the bottoms and edges are golden. The cookies should be lightly golden at the edges, not dark on top.
Step 7: Cool and store
Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet so they can crisp up. Once cool, store them in an airtight container.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Softened butter matters: If it's too cold, you won't get enough air in the creaming step. If it's melty, the cookies can spread too much.
- Do not rush the creaming: Take your time with the creaming step. Mixing for 3 to 5 minutes gives the cookies the best texture.
- Pipe evenly: Try to pipe the cookies evenly. When they're all the same size, they bake more evenly. For perfect rounds, you can trace circles on the back of the parchment as a guide.
- Watch the bottoms: Check the bottoms of the cookies. They're done when the bottoms are golden, and the edges are lightly browned.
- Cool fully before storing: Let the cookies cool completely before storing. If they're still warm, they'll lose their crispness.
Flavor Variations
- Vanilla bean: For extra flavor and those nice vanilla specks, try using some vanilla bean paste instead of part of the vanilla extract.
- Citrus: Add a few pinches of finely grated lemon or orange zest for a fresh, bright flavor.
- Warm spice: A small pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg gives the cookies a warm, cozy flavor.
Serving Ideas
- Try layering them into banana pudding. It's a great combination!
- Crush the cookies to use as a base for pie crust or cheesecake.
- Dip halfway in melted chocolate and let set for a play on the half-and-half cookie!
- Use these cookies to make ice cream sandwiches with a thin layer of softened ice cream.
Storage and Make-Ahead
At room temperature, keep the cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.
To freeze, store the baked cookies in an airtight container for up to two months. Thaw them uncovered at room temperature to keep them crisp.
Recipe FAQs
Powdered sugar makes the cookies tender, and granulated sugar helps them get crisp and brown well.
Usually, the dough is too thick because of extra flour. Next time, spoon and level the flour. You can also let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften.
A piping bag gives the classic wafer shape, but you can also use a spoon to make small mounds and gently flatten them. They'll look more rustic but taste just as good.
Let the cookies cool completely before storing, and keep them tightly sealed. Humidity can make them soft, so use an airtight container.
More Cookie Recipes
- Fluffernutter Cookies
- Ricotta Cookies
- Butter Cookies
- Blueberry and Cream Cookies
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, (1 stick), softened
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (61 ml) milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup (156.25 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the butter, powdered sugar, and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl, and beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy (3 to 5 minutes).
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then mix in the milk and vanilla until combined.
- Stir in the flour and salt, taking care not to overwork the dough.
- Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1A tip. Pipe 1-inch diameter circles onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottoms and around the edges.
- Cool completely, then store in an airtight container.
Author
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Have a question about this recipe? Ask AI:
Hi Allie,
My daughter has an egg allergy, and finding this recipe really brought a smile to my face! Thank you so much for sharing! I can't wait to make them for her.
Hi Claudia! I'm so glad you were able to find something here that you and your daughter can enjoy together. That really warms my heart. Have fun making and eating these cookies!
I make cheesecakes and prefer vanilla wafer to graham cracker crusts. Have been looking for an easy to make homemade vanilla wafer recipe so I can stop using the store bought kind full of shady ingredients. Just made these, and after tasting one a few minutes out of the oven I know I will never buy another store bought box of vanilla wafers again. The only problem I will have is not eating half the batch every time. They are potentially addictive! My only change may be to use vanilla sugar next time to enhance the vanilla flavor a bit. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Ooh I love your vanilla sugar idea! And I always have that on hand for my coffee, so I'll definitely use it next time I make these cookies. Thanks so much for the great feedback; I'm so glad to hear that you were pleased with the recipe. You're right- it would be fantastic as a cheesecake crust. And you might want to check out this recipe (https://bakingamoment.com/vanilla-bean-cheesecake/), it's my favorite!
I want to try this cookie recipe but I am glutin free so I'm going to try using my flour and hope it works put ok sure will be nice to have baba a pudding again and PB and Nikka wafers are gtrat!
Hope it works well for you! Good luck!
I don't have parchment paper. Will it be okay to spray a cookie sheet with butter-flavored spray instead? Also, since finances are limited, I only use salted butter. How much should I cut back on the salt in the recipe? Thank you!
Hey Tammy! I'm afraid if you sprayed the pan the cookies might spread too much. You might be better off just skipping that step altogether. As for the salt- it's tough to say. You may not need any or you may want to cut it by half. It's really up to your taste! Good luck!
I just wanted to say that the cookies are great, but the gray and teal text is a little hard to read (especially the teal) on the white background.
Thanks so much Nancy!
Hi Allie!
I apologize if this has been asked before, but I didn't see a FAQ anywhere.
How do you measure flour? Dip/sweep or lightly spoon into a cup then sweep excess away? Or, if you happen to have a gram weight per cup, that would be even better!
Thanks!
Hey J! Always lightly spoon and sweep. And if you're looking for a weight conversion chart, I have a free printable. Check out the link in my sidebar. Hope that's helpful!
Can i use the wafers for the bottom of a cheesecake?
Yes absolutely!
Fantastic, and we made them vegan! Next time I might opt for vanilla almond milk instead as I felt they could have used more vanilla flavor (but Only because I really LOVE vanilla, my husband says they are perfect as is ;)).
The more vanilla the better! So glad you enjoyed. Thanks for the great feedback Michelle!
My mother always made banana pudding with homemade vanilla wafers. It made the pudding so much better. This recipe is excellent. Great flavor and texture. Now I'm off to make a big bowl of banana pudding with these.
Thanks.
Aw what a nice memory! Love that you're doing that, Jane. Enjoy the banana pudding, and thanks so much for the great feedback!
Jan and Allie I have a question...I would like to use this recipe for the bottom of mini cheesecakes...when baked under the cheesecake batter will it soften like a regular van wafer would?? Thank you for your reply...maria
Hi Maria! I have not tried that myself but I would imagine so. They are very similar to a store-bought vanilla wafer. Good luck and I hope you enjoy!
These look great. I can't wait to try them. I love Nilla Wafers, I just don't like to buy them for the same reason you stated. Thanks so much.
My pleasure Christina! Hope you get a chance to try making them sometime soon!
Thk you Allie for this easy and yummy recipe..The kids just loved them?.. love from lebanon 🙂
My pleasure Leila! I'm so glad it worked well for you- thanks for the great feedback!
In your description at the top of recipe you mention eggs but nowhere in the ingredients or method eggs are mentioned. Is it an over sight or are these wafers egg less? I would be most happy if they are egg less.
Hi Sandhya! Thanks so much for the great question. You are correct- there are no eggs in this recipe. It's a short list of ingredients and really simple. Hope you have a chance to make them sometime soon!
Perfect as a stand-alone treat or as a component in icebox cakes, pie crust, etc! Perfect.
Totally! I love that you think outside the box like that. Thanks so much Jessie!
Hi Allie, Vanilla wafers were a favorite when I was a kid. I have to try homemade. Can't wait to try your recipe. Pinned for later 😉
Aw, I love that! Hope you get a chance to try the recipe real soon. Thanks so much for the positive feedback!
These wafer cookies look SO delicious and crisp and perfect! Pinning!!
Aw, thank you so much Kayle! I really appreciate the sweet comment and the share 🙂
Hi Allie! I can't wait to try these, I make homemade banana pudding and I hate using the store bought Nilla Wafers, thank you for posting this! They also look so beautiful, nice and puffy and perfect like everything you do! Take care..Dora
Aw, thank you so much Dora! I'm so pleased you're going to try making these. They'd be absolutely PERFECT for banana pudding. Hope you enjoy!