Homemade Vanilla Wafers Recipe – Easy & Crispy Cookies
Do you want to make vanilla wafers at home, then you are in the right place. If you don’t like store-bought vanilla wafers due to the artificial flavor used in store-bought vanilla wafers, then this homemade vanilla wafers recipe is for you. In this recipe, I will share how you can make vanilla wafers that taste better than store-bought ones at home from scratch.
This recipe is straightforward and quick. You can make these vanilla wafer cookies with only a few ingredients and 2 to 3 Tools readily available at every home. We are making these cookies for the banana pudding recipe, but you can enjoy them separately or use them in different recipes.
What Are Nilla Wafers? History of Vanilla Wafers
Vanilla wafers are sweet cookies made with butter, sugar, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, milk, eggs, and flour. They are used to make various recipes, including banana pudding, which is popular. You can also eat these cookies alone. German-American confectioner Gusta A. Mayer invented these vanilla wafers in the 19th century.
He sold his recipe to NABISCO( National Biscuit Company)—the famous food company behind Nilla Wafers. NABISCO change the name of the vanilla wafer to Nilla Wafer This is the reason these vanilla wafers cookies are also known as Nilla Wafers.
Do These Vanilla Wafers Taste Just Like Store-Bought Nilla Wafers
No, these vanilla wafers do not taste like the store-bought Nilla Wafers. These vanilla wafer cookies taste better than the store-bought vanilla wafers. These are natural homemade vanilla wafer cookies with no artificial flavor, while the store-bought ones have artificial flavors and many other additives.
Vanilla Wafers Recipe Ingredients
Milk: You need milk to make these vanilla wafer cookies. I recommend using whole milk, but you can also use 2%; it will also work fine.
Flour: You also need all-purpose flour to make this fantastic vanilla wafers recipe. Do not use cornstarch or cake flour; they will not be perfect for our recipe.
Butter is also an essential ingredient in this homemade vanilla wafers recipe. You can use salted or unsalted butter, but if you use salted butter, reduce the salt mentioned in this recipe by half.
Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract is essential to make our vanilla wafer cookies taste better than store-bought ones.
Sugar: You need ground sugar to make these cookies sweet.
Salt: You also need a small amount of salt. Salt enhances the overall flavour of cookies by balancing the sweetness.
Baking Soda: Baking soda is also used in this homemade vanilla wafers recipe. It makes the vanilla wafer texture airy and light.
How To Make Vanilla Wafers
- Add butter and sugar to a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Then add the egg and vanilla extract and mix again with a mixer.
- Take the all-purpose flour( half of the mentioned quantity), salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl and mix them slightly. Then add these to the butter mixture and mix until combined well.
- Add milk and mix, then add the rest of the flour to this mixture and mix again at low to medium speed.
- Now, use a cookie scoop to add the cookie dough to the baking sheet. Make sure the cookies are 5 cm apart.
- Bake these cookies in the oven until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Cool them and enjoy.
How To Store Vanilla Wafers
If you want to store these homemade vanilla wafers, first take an airtight container and place these cookies in it. Then, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to one month. I do not recommend storing them for more than seven days because these cookies are easy to make. Even these Wafers can be stored, but their taste and texture will change if you store them for a long time.
Can I Make Vanilla Wafers Ahead Of Time?
Yes, it is possible to prepare Vanilla wafers ahead of time. These vanilla wafers can be stored easily, and therefore, you can make these cookies up to 3 days ahead of time.
How to Make Gluten-Free Vanilla Wafers?
You can make your vanilla wafers gluten-free using gluten-free all-purpose flour, oat flour, or almond flour. To make whipped cream at home, follow this recipe: Homemade Whipped Cream Recipe – How to Make it in 5 Minutes
Vanilla Wafers Recipe
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
- Oven
- Baking Sheets
- Two-teaspoon cookies scop or pipping bag and Wilton 2A pipping tip.
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Butter( 113g)
- ⅔ Cup of Ground Sugar(133g)
- 1 Large Egg
- 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- ½ cup of all-purpose flour(190g)
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ¾ teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 tablespoon of milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven up to 175C or 350 F
- Then, take a dish, place parchment paper on it, and place it aside.
- After this, add butter and sugar in a large bowl and mix well with an electric mixer.
- Then add vanilla extract and egg and stir well again.
- Add all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Then, add half of this flour mixture to the large bowl and mix it.
- Add the milk and remaining flour to the mixture in the large bowl and stir until smooth and fluffy.
- Place the baking paper on the large tray, scoop the prepared dough into a 2-teaspoon scoop, and drop it on the tray. Make sure that these cookies are two centimetres away from each other.
- Now bake in the oven for at least 12 to 14 minutes or until the cookies are light pale brown.
- Remove from the oven, let it cool for 10 minutes, then enjoy.
Nutrition Facts
(Per Serving)
Calories
40
Total Fat
2.1g
Protein
0.6g
Total Carb
5.2g
About Ellie Harper
Ellie Harper is the home cook behind Banana’s Pudding Recipe. She’s been whipping up sweet treats and southern desserts since she could hold a wooden spoon. When she’s not baking banana pudding from scratch, you’ll find her testing family recipes, sipping iced tea, and sharing tips from her cozy kitchen. Learn more
