Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

The tiny flecks of vanilla bean make a bare cookie so beautiful to look at. This recipe is straight to my heart, double vanilla with a whole vanilla bean and vanilla extract. These are soft, delicious and full of flavor. 

I highly recommend using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment when making my cut-out cookie recipes but if you only have a hand mixer, get ready to put your arm muscles to the test. You will have to combine the dough together by wooden spoon or the dough will not come together easily.

The cookies are perfect for decorating. I share lots of tutorials on my Instagram, Facebook and YouTube

Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

Packed full of flavor, these delicious cookies are perfect for decorating with buttercream.

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Servings 24

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter softened, out of fridge 20-30 minutes
• 1/4 tsp (1.5 grams) salt
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) white confectioners sugar
• 1 whole vanilla bean
• 1 tsp (4 grams) pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 3 cups (375-390 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp (2.25 grams) aluminum-free baking powder

Instructions

 

• Cream butter and salt in a stand mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.
• Mix in both sugars and mix on medium speed for 1 minute.
• On a cutting board of parchment paper, take the vanilla bean and slice all the way down the bean, long ways. Gently scrape the beans from the inside of the pod, and add them to the dough.
• Add in vanilla extract and egg and cream together on medium speed for 30 seconds to combine.
• Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl and use a whisk to make sure its evenly distributed. Then add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
• Mix on low speed with a towel covering the mixer so the flour doesn't escape. Keep mixing, the dough will come together.
• preheat oven to 375. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap out and turn the dough on to the wrap. Form a disc with the dough by smashing it down. Wrap up the dough. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow the dough to firm up a little to prevent spreading.
• Use a restaurant grade aluminum baking sheet. Flour surface and roll dough out to 1/4 inch or thicker and place two inches apart on the baking sheet. I highly recommend the aluminum baking sheet. If you don't have one, use parchment paper on a nonstick cookie sheet. the bottoms will brown faster though so keep an eye out.
• Bake cookies on middle rack, one sheet at a time and bake for 6 to 8 minutes. The cookie will puff up in the middle and will become matte on the top when they are done.
• Once baked, allow to cool for one minute and transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes

Mater tip- Freeze bare cookies overnight to add moisture for extra soft cookies. Add 1 tsp vanilla bean paste in place of the vanilla bean if you don't have one. Add in 1 Tbsp corn starch to give cookies sharper edges.