Melt in your mouth vanilla cookies with vanilla bean glaze. So soft and chewy! These heavenly bites are a very vanilla version of Italian wedding cookies and the perfect treat to welcome spring!
This post is sponsored by Nielsen-Massey, producer of premier pure vanillas and flavor extracts that are all-natural, GMO-free, certified gluten-free, certified Kosher, and allergen-free. Be sure to follow Nielsen-Massey on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more recipe inspiration!
Vanilla Cookies
These vanilla cookies are sooo good! Ever inhale a bottle of vanilla and wish you could drink it? These cookies are bursting with a double dose of vanilla and literally melt in your mouth. Promise you won’t be able to eat just one!
Food trends come and go, but cookies are always on point. These vanilla cookies with vanilla bean glaze are velvety soft with a slight chew. Despite their dainty appearance, these cookies will be devoured by men, women and children alike!
This recipe yields about 6 dozen cookies, which makes it ideal for bringing to an event or sharing with loved ones. My friends swore these tasted like vanilla ice cream and gobbled them up like they were going to melt (they don’t, only in your mouth).
For these vanilla cookies, I used Nielsen-Massey’s Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste. Nielsen-Massey is a family-owned business that’s headquartered in my small hometown of Waukegan, Illinois (about an hour north of Chicago) so they hold a special place in my heart!
They produce high quality vanillas and pure flavor extracts using as few ingredients as possible, which allows the natural essence to shine. Vanilla extract is a staple kitchen ingredient, but have you ever tried vanilla bean paste? This stuff changed my life!
I first remember experimenting with it when I was a teenager. I was just getting into baking and felt like a boss when I actually saw the real vanilla bean specks in my vanilla frosting!
Since then I’ve gone through more bottles than I can count. It’s amazing in flan, ice cream and now these vanilla cookies with vanilla bean glaze.
I love these cookies because they’re not too sweet. The vanilla bean glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness. Since these cookies are so simple, it’s essential to use high quality vanilla.
Nielsen-Massey uses cold extraction instead of heat which preserves the 300+ flavors found in vanilla beans, plus they examine each bundle of vanilla beans by hand to make sure it meets their high standards! Their Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla has a sweet, creamy flavor which is perfect for these velvety soft cookies.
Pin this to your dessert board!
Vanilla Cookies with Vanilla Bean Glaze
Melt in your mouth vanilla cookies with vanilla bean glaze. So soft and chewy! These heavenly bites are a very vanilla version of Italian wedding cookies and the perfect treat to welcome spring!
Ingredients
Vanilla Cookies:
- 3 cups (384g) all-purpose flour
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) butter
- 1/4 cup (48g) shortening
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
Vanilla Bean Glaze:
- 2 cups (226g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2-4 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
Instructions
For the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat; set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour baking powder and salt; set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and shortening. Using an electric mixer, add sugar and blend ingredients well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla bean paste. Gradually add dry ingredients, stirring just until combined.
- Roll dough into 3/4 inch balls, or about 2 teaspoons. The dough will be soft. If dough is too sticky, use floured hands. Place on prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or just until tops begin to crack. Remove cookies to wire rack and cool completely before glazing.
For the glaze:
- Place sifted confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons of milk and vanilla bean paste. Mix until all of the sugar is incorporated. Add additional milk as needed; glaze should be on the thick side. Dip tops of cookies in glaze and allow to dry.
These vanilla cookies first appeared on Food Fanatic as a contribution by Kitchen Gidget.
Adrian
Wednesday 25th of April 2018
Made these a few weeks ago and everyone loved them! Thank you!
Chelsea
Thursday 5th of April 2018
Can you use vanilla extract in place of the paste? I don’t have paste on hand
Rebekah
Thursday 5th of April 2018
Yes, you can use vanilla extract too :-)