Vanilla Creme Sandwich Cookies
A homemade version of vanilla creme cookies. The dough and filling can be made ahead, making them a great option for holiday celebrations.
Servings 30 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.
Notes
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 an 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.
