Vanilla Sandwich Cookies are crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and bursting with tons of real vanilla flavor ~ this easy cookie recipe is a hit with adults and kids alike.
Holiday cookies can inspire memories for a lifetime
I’m inspired by the memory of a big box of homemade cookies that was delivered to our doorstep every December when I was growing up. My mother’s best friend packed an unbelievable variety of cookies into a huge box, the kind meant for a bathrobe, or a coat. Each treat was nested in it’s own little space and the finished product looked like a tantalizing mosaic of delights. I suppose it’s possible that my memory is embellishing this vision of Christmases past, but in those days women really did have a little more time on their hands to devote to holiday baking, and some of them went all out.
These vanilla cookies have a surprisingly complex flavor
I’m starting off my virtual cookie box with plain vanilla. The cookie itself is flecked with vanilla bean seeds, and the filling has an extra shot of vanilla extract just so you don’t miss the point. I’ve even included a chocolate filling for you types who just can’t help yourself when it comes to chocolate.
Filled cookies are fun, but I wouldn’t normally go to the trouble. But that’s what the holiday baking season is all about, going one or two steps beyond the everyday. And these cookies are worth it. And if chocolate is more your thing, try my Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich Cookies or my Nutella Sandwich Cookies.
TIP: These vanilla sandwich cookies are nice and sturdy, so they make a good choice for giving and shipping.
The cookie itself is a little crunchy, a little chewy. The fillings are so much fresher and richer than anything you’d find ready made. Go ahead and fill them as full as you want.
TIP: The filling is infinitely variable, add a teaspoon of instant espresso to the vanilla filling for a delicious coffee flavor. Or add almond extract, or a touch of food coloring. Substitute peppermint extract for the vanilla extract in the chocolate filling. Have fun with them!
Other Christmas treats to check out:
- Pfeffernusse
- Soft Glazed Gingerbread Cookies
- Maple Glazed Oatmeal Cookies
- Traditional Swedish Pepparkakor
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Vanilla on Vanilla Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
dry ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
wet ingredients
- 3/4 cup 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
- 2 large eggs
vanilla filling
- 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- milk or cream for thinning
chocolate filling
- 1 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- milk or cream for thinning
Instructions
- set oven to 375F
- In a small bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- Cream the butter, then beat in the sugar and vanilla bean seeds and beat until creamy.
- Beat in the eggs and blend well. Then add the dry ingredients and mix until just blended.
- Using a small scoop (1 inch) drop the dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet, 3 inches apart (these cookies will spread a bit).
- Bake for about 10 minutes until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges. Cool on the pan for a couple of minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
- Fill the cooled cookies with the vanilla (or chocolate) filling and sandwich them together, pressing lightly to spread the filling to the edges of the cookie.
- To make the fillings, mix the ingrdients together until smooth and creamy. Add enough milk or cream to get a thick but spreadable consistency.
Notes
Filling variations
- Ready made jam
- Jarred caramel sauceÂ
- Nutella
They look delicious..I love the box too:-)
I only wish it were real…how fun would it be to give (or get!) a gift like that.
okay…I’m really hungry, but my mouth is watering as I look at your blog tonight. Sweet, no savory….I just want it all! Your cookies all boxed up look adorable and delicious! Where did you find those perfect little boxes?
xo
annie
Since I’ve been blogging I’ve been saving boxes, bottles, and stuff like crazy. This is just a recycled box, but I’ve noticed that the wedding aisle at places like Michaels etc, have similar little boxes, meant for favors.
They look pretty. Can’t wait to see what other recipes you make… but I love your clever virtual cookie box and can’r wait to see it’s patchwork evolve. It will be regarded as “my” virtual gift!
You are a fun blogger, Sue!
Thanks, Kate 🙂
Great cookies – they look so crisp and delicious and the scrumptious filling – YUM
Mary x
It’s funny because the recipe said they were soft vanilla cookies, but mine turned out to be slightly crisp. I think you can make them soft or crisp depending on the size of cookie, your oven, etc.
Yes please!!!!
Wow, these look lovely. Sandwich cookies are my favorite kind–I’ll take almost any cookie and any filling! I am definitely making these.
It’s pretty mind boggling to start imagining all the combinations possible here…one could gain a few pounds just thinking about it!
i’m quite the opposite of you–cookie time is the time at my bakery that i dread all year. sure, they’re fun to make in regular batches, but when you’re churning them out by the 1000s, it ain’t so great. 🙂
I would love to watch you in action, Grace!
these really do look delicious sue. your story reminds me of my husband’s grandmother. every christmas she’d bake a variety of cookies for all the kids and grandkids in her family, which was a lot btw. she’d save cereal boxes all year long and them cut the side out to make a sort of make-shift lid and then line them in wax paper and wrap the box in holiday paper. when you opened it there were abot 8 rows of different kinds of cookies. it truly was my favorite gift i’d receive. so much love and effort went into ea box. i think i’m going to start the same tradition. beautiful photos too!!!
I love that! I can just see her carefully saving the cereal boxes. My great grandmother used to save every greeting card she ever received, she had boxes full of them by the time she was in her 90s. She also drove everybody crazy at Christmas because she would carefully open her presents, undoing every piece of tape without ripping the paper, so she could save it—it took her ages to open one gift! That was a great generation!
I have been baking cookies like a banchee this week too! I am traveling in Dec so holiday baking is currently in full force and it’s been cookies! I love the looks of these – I love vanilla, hugely, and these look delish!
I know you love your vanilla! You must be freezing all the cookies, I need to get some tips for that.
Coffee filling, oh yeah, I am doing that. Can’t wait to see what else goes in your virtual cookie box!
The coffee flavor was the one I want to try the most!