Vanilla Bean Cookies
This is a light and delicate cookie that features vanilla, and elevates a basic sugar cookie into something refined and elegant, but never lets you forget it's a sugar cookie.
Vanilla bean powder is dehydrated vanilla bean. They look dramatic and make a great presentation, but this can also be hard to find and a touch on the pricey side. If sourcing this ingredient is more than you're looking to do, then skip it. This cookie will be packed with vanilla flavor without it. Don't skimp on the sugar topping, though, since it creates a snappy top of the cookie and a little bit of crunchy fun.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup Granulated Brown Sugar, plus 2 Tablespoons, divided
- 1 vanilla bean (3 to 4 in.) or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons vanilla bean powder, optional
Instructions:
- Heat oven to 325º F.
- Place parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on a cookie baking sheet to prevent cookies from sticking. If you do not have either, you can lightly spray the baking sheet with pan spray.
- Place 3/4 cup Granulated Brown Sugar and butter in to large bowl.
- With a tip of a sharp knife, slit vanilla bean and scrape seeds into the bowl, or pour in vanilla extract.
- Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla with a mixer on medium speed, until smooth.
- In a separate bowl whisk flour, Fine Sea Salt, and baking powder.
- Slowly blend flour mix into the butter mixture; if you are using an electric or standing mixer, do this on low speed, until everything is blended.
- Continue beating the dough until it forms a ball. Place the dough ball on a lightly floured surface, and cut it in half.
- Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll each half into a 1/8 inch round.
- Cut the cookies. Use any cookie cutter you like, as long as it is about 3-4 inches across. Re-roll scraps once and cut remaining dough into cookies.
- Put cookies on prepared sheet pans, about ½ inch apart.
- Use the back of a knife or fork and press in patterns into the cookies. Sprinkle the tops with remaining 2 Tablespoons Granulated Brown Sugar and 2 Tablespoons Vanilla Bean Powder.
- Bake 12-16 minutes, or until the bottoms are firm and golden brown and edges of the cookies are just turning brown.
