Did you know that vanilla wafers do not need to come from a box? It’s true! Vanilla wafers are simple cookies that, like many baked goods, are even better when they’re homemade. These homemade vanilla wafers are petite, crisp, and bursting with a vanilla flavor that the store-bought version cannot compete with. Here’s how to make better-than-the-box vanilla wafers.
Vanilla Bean Paste vs. Vanilla Extract
For this recipe, I recommend using vanilla bean paste — you can see the little flecks of vanilla in the baked cookies!
Vanilla bean paste is a mixture of the vanilla bean seeds and vanilla extract combined with some sugar and a thickener to give it a thicker consistency. This ingredient is ideal when you want to highlight the vanilla flavor and see the natural flecks of vanilla bean seeds in the finished product.
Vanilla extract is made by steeping vanilla beans in alcohol and sometimes water. (Yes, it’s that easy to make your own vanilla extract.) When buying extracts at the store, make sure you choose pure vanilla extract over imitation vanilla extract for the best flavor.
What to Do With Vanilla Wafers (Besides Eat Them!)
Any time you might reach for that big yellow box with red writing, you can use these homemade vanilla wafers instead.
- Make banana pudding. Vanilla wafers and banana pudding are a classic combination that is made even better with homemade vanilla wafers. You can also make these banana pudding-inspired bars or ice cream pie.
- Make a crust. Use these cookies in place of graham crackers for crumb crusts.
- Assemble a dessert board. Add them to a platter filled with fruit, marshmallows, pretzels and cubed cake for dipping in chocolate fondue.
- Sandwich them. Whip up a batch of lemon curd or chocolate ganache to sandwich between a pair of vanilla wafers.
How long do vanilla wafers last?
You can keep vanilla wafers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days (if they last that long!). You can also freeze the baked wafers for up to one month or unbaked dough for two months.
