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Soft vanilla bean sugar cookies on a plate with sugar sprinkles

Soft Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies

These Soft Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies are soft and tender with a delicious real vanilla flavor, perfect for any celebration.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 90
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cookie Ingredients
  • 2 1/4 cups All-purpose flour Weigh 281g for accuracy.
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 3/4 cup Unsalted butter, softened At room temperature.
  • 3/4 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1 whole Vanilla bean, seeds scraped For the cookie dough.
  • 1 large Egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons Pure vanilla extract
Buttercream Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup Unsalted butter, softened For buttercream.
  • 1/2 bean Vanilla bean, seeds scraped For buttercream.
  • 3 cups Confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons Heavy cream For buttercream.
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Pure vanilla extract For buttercream.
  • Salt To taste.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
  2. In a stand mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar on high speed for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
  3. Add in the vanilla bean seeds, and mix until creamy.
  4. Add in the egg and vanilla extract, beating until fully incorporated.
  5. With the mixer on low, slowly incorporate the dry ingredients until just combined.
Chilling and Baking
  1. Divide the dough and roll each portion to 1/4-inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper.
  2. Refrigerate the rolled dough for at least 1-2 hours to firm it up.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Cut out desired shapes from the chilled dough and place on lined baking sheets.
  4. Bake for 11-12 minutes until the edges are lightly browned, then cool completely on a wire rack.
Buttercream
  1. In a bowl, beat the softened butter with the vanilla bean seeds until creamy.
  2. Gradually add in the sifted confectioners’ sugar and heavy cream, mixing until smooth.
  3. Add the vanilla extract and salt, mixing to combine.
Decoration
  1. Frost the cooled cookies with the vanilla bean buttercream and decorate as desired.

Notes

Store unfrosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To freeze, store baked, unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months.