How do you feel about making homemade vanilla creme cookies? This is a beautiful recipe for sweet, crisp, vanilla buttercream-sandwiched cookies. The dough and filling can be made ahead, making them a great option for gatherings and holiday celebrations.
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Not only are they beautiful, but they're also really delicious!
They make wonderful gifts, though I wouldn't ship them. Filled cookies are not the best for that.
The vanilla flavor is not overpowering, and this is the time to use your favorite one. I also use vanilla paste instead of extract as I find it has a deeper flavor. But both work well.
The dough and filling can be made ahead, so there's also that. You can plan ahead and have more time for your guests and celebrations.
Other vanilla recipes I love and recommend are the glazed pound cake and vanilla fudge.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Vanilla: this is the time to use your favorite one. The better the vanilla, the better the flavor of the cookies.
- Cornstarch: it adds a melt-in-your-mouth quality. If unavailable, use the same amount of extra flour.
- Butter: the recipe uses unsalted, but if you use salted, omit the salt.
Variations & substitutions
- Citrus: When you add lemon juice, add some orange or lemon to the dough and/or the filling.
- Spices: add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice or gingerbread spice mix to the dough with the flour.
- Nuts: When adding the flour mixture, add ½ cup very finely chopped walnuts or pecans to the cookie dough.
Spatula
I like to use a spatula; it's the easiest way not to overmix it, which can make the cookies tough.
If you use an electric mixer, do so at the lowest speed.
Dough
You need to make a smooth ball or disc. It needs to be covered and chilled before you roll it.
Roll and cut
When you start rolling, make sure the cookie dough is cold. If it sticks too quickly, roll it in parts, leaving the unused piece of dough covered in the fridge.
I use a dough scraper to help lift the dough and ensure it doesn't stick to the surface.
Baking
Place the apart on the baking sheet. They don't expand much but need space to bake evenly.
Filling
This simple vanilla buttercream is easy to pipe or spread with a spoon and can be made in advance.
You can also use cream cheese filling for these cookies.
Piping or spooning?
Both work, but piping makes cookies prettier and less messy if you want to gift them or make them part of a dessert table.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Make ahead: The cookies and the filling can be made up to 3 days before you plan to eat them. Keep the cookies in airtight tins to stay crisp and the filling in the fridge well covered to avoid dryness. You might need to stir it before using it, to make it smooth again.
- Storing assembled cookies: if you have leftovers, place them in an airtight container in the fridge. Place parchment paper or freezer sheets in between if making several layers so they don't stick.
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Vanilla Creme Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
Vanilla cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
Vanilla filling:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 or 2 teaspoons heavy cream or milk, only if needed
Instructions
Vanilla cookies:
- Beat 1 cup unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Add ¾ cups sugar and continue beating until well-blended.
- Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon lemon juice until well integrated, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Add 1 egg yolk and mix until combined. Gradually add the sifted 2 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup cornstarch and ½ teaspoon salt, and incorporate with a spatula until you have a smooth ball of cookie dough.
- Flatten the dough into a disk about 1 inch thick (you can transfer the dough to the clean counter if it's easier to gather into a ball), cover well in plastic wrap and chill it for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Transfer the chilled dough to a clean, lightly floured surface and roll it out to about ¼ inch thick using a lightly floured rolling pin. Make sure it's not sticking to the surface. A bench or dough scraper is a good tool for this.
- Lightly flour your cookie cutter, shaking off excess, and cut out the cookies, placing them on a greased cookie sheet, 1 inch apart.
- Gather the scraps and re-roll the dough to cut out additional cookies. If it's soft, cover and chill again in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
- Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes, until dry and slightly coloring around the edges. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
Vanilla filling:
- In a large bowl, beat ½ cup unsalted butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the sifted 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar (mix it a little with a fork first to avoid it flying everywhere) and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract and beat until smooth. If it's too thick and hard to spread, add 1 or 2 teaspoons heavy cream or milk.
Assembling the Cookies:
- Place the cooled cookies on a flat surface.
- Using a piping bag or a spoon, spread a generous amount of the vanilla crème filling on the flat side of half of the cookies. Place the rest of the cookies on top and gently press together to create a sandwich.
- If not eating right away, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
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