There are two main recipes floating around the internet for homemade vanilla wafers. One is more of a shortbread, made with egg yolks and the other is really light, made with egg white. One is sliced after chilling and the other is piped with a pastry bag onto cookie sheets. Neither worked for me. 1. I wasn't just about to end up with half an egg or two. 2. I wanted something I could just scoop with a tiny ice cream scoop right onto the pan and 3. I wanted the recipe to be frugal.
So. I printed out both recipes and went to work. In the end, I changed just about everything, but the results were perfect: a frugal, easy, non hydrogenated, no corn syrup added, homemade version of 'Nilla wafers.
I just happened to have a box of no-name vanilla wafers in the back of a cupboard. I got them out to do a taste and look comparison. My version were exactly the same size and shape of "theirs." Mine were a whole lot more buttery (owing, I am sure to the fact that I used butter and not a processed fat). The store bought cookies were more uniformly brown. Both were crunchy. My taste testers thought the homemade were exponentially better tasting. I will see how they work in a recipe when I attempt a variation on that old favorite "banana pudding without bananas."
Homemade Vanilla Wafers:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, large
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Combine the flour and powder and mix in. Using the tiniest ice cream scoop known to man (or a 1/2 tsp measuring spoon), scoop the dough onto a cookie sheet. (I used a silpat
. If you have one, I recommend using it) You should get about 20-24 cookies on a pan. Bake 350 degrees for 10+ minutes. Let their color be your guide to their doneness. You want brown edges and tan, crispy cookies.
. If you have one, I recommend using it) You should get about 20-24 cookies on a pan. Bake 350 degrees for 10+ minutes. Let their color be your guide to their doneness. You want brown edges and tan, crispy cookies.
33 comments:
How cool! I love vanilla wafers. They are classic. Yours look great. High five for making your own recipe!
I Love, love, love Vanilla Wafers! But I haven't actually had one in probably 10+ years. I sure hope these work well in recipes! Looking forward to your report back!
I can't wait to make a batch of this...and then a pot of banana pudding. This takes me back to my childhood, and I am so glad you shared this with me. Have a great Monday love!
These look like they have 10x the taste of store bought
Nilla Wafers were a childhood favorite of mine! I haven't had them in years.... I'll have to try these out :)
I love vanilla wafers but they've gotten so "fake" tasting that I stopped buying them. You've given me new hope! Thanks for testing and retesting and passing your recipe along.
They look great! I have a recipe for little cheesecakes that use Nilla Wafers. They would taste so much better if they were made with your homemade recipe!
I always thought store bought vanilla wafers taste a little like cardboard but your homemade version I could so get on board with and I bet they rock!!! Man, banana pudding with those has got to be over the top. I'm bookmarking this recipe so thanks for sharing :o)
Another homemade triumph! I just love to see all the things that you cone up with to make homemade. I had to make just about everything homemade when my kids were little. My middle daughter had extreme allergies and horrible, lif-threatening asthma. I did everything but rewrite the Joy of Cooking to create foods that she could eat that wouldn't make her sick and yet she didn't have to feel deprived. She is 24 today..graduated culinary school and is the banquet sous chef of the Hilton in Cincinnati.
I really need to try making these, cause Lil' Joe can eat a box of the real deal in a flash.
Yours win hands down! Love nila wafers but stopped buying them because of all that stuff in there, so thanks!
I love that you came up with a recipe for these! Having a soy allergy, I can no longer eat vanilla wafers from the store, but I loved their light, crunchy taste, so it will be fun to try these sometime. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
I love your vanilla wafers and my husband would love them even more. I have already voted for you. Good luck.
What size egg?
Egg and Butter at room temperature?
Self-rising or All-purpose flour?
I want to make these tonight and I want to get 'em right :)
I am going to have to find out what a silpat
Thanks for the recipe and in advance for your help.
I bet those are amazing!!
I make a to die for key lime pie using nilla wafers as the crust. Now, my recipe will be extreme. Thanks!!
Jenifer: I used the egg and butter straight out of the fridge, but I use a KitchenAid and it can handle cold butter. If you are using a hand mixer or smaller mixer, definitely let the butter soften a bit before you work with it. There is enough fat in these cookies that they won't stick to your baking sheet, so if you cannot find or do not have a silpat or other silicon baking liner, don't worry about it.
Nice adaptation! I've made the ones you slice... and I love the idea of just being able to scoop the cookies instead.
Mmmm, those sound so good, I have to pass one of my votes your way! I used to eat them all the time as a kid, but they just were'nt the same as an adult! Thanks for sharing this!
-Gina-
Yum! Vanilla wafers are favorites in my household. We rarely eat them because of the cost and the ingredients. But now...I'm looking forward to trying your recipe. Thank you.
Su-sieee! Mac
This and That. Here and There. Now, Sometimes Then.
These are going to make any recipe using nilla wafers soooo much better. My mouth watered just reading about them because of the butter. Wish they would use butter in store cookies - no, that would probably be a bad thing for me!
These look delicious and it seems easy to make. I could get the kids involved in the kitchen. Thanks :)
Jackie at Phamfatale.com
Hubby eats these by the dozen from Nabisco, I bet if I make these he'll eat them all. :)
These look great and so easy! thanks for sharing!
You've been featured!
http://athomewithhaley.blogspot.com/2010/09/recipes-i-cant-wait-to-try-1.html
No way! I loove vanilla wafers.. I can't wait to try these! Thanks for sharing your recipe :)
Why would you buy a preservative-filled version when you could have these? Your wafers definitely belong with a sweet dip, if I do say.
I've never tried making vanilla wafers before. I have no doubt it tasted MUCH better than the generic store kind....you actually used heart and hands in the making!!
Just stopping by from Prairie Story.
We love vanilla wafers and will sure give yours a try. Thank you...
Those look great! I've always wanted to try homemade vanilla wafers :)
Have a batch in the oven to take to small group tonight. Substituted 1/2 c with Soft White Whole Wheat Flour. Can't wait to see how they try out!
I made these yesterday and put them in a really great banana pudding recipe and they were great! I prepared the pudding at about 1pm, when we at it closer to 8pm, the cookies were still crispy!!! Thanks so much!
My husband and I love storebought wafers. I'll buy a couple boxes if I can catch them for 2.50 or under and just ignore the ingredients. I asked him if I should try making them at home. He said to give it a shot. He loved them! I did add a pinch of salt to the second batch and we felt it was a bit closer to the store brand. Thank you for creating this recipe!! He said I don't have to buy them anymore :-)
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