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Vanilla Bean Cookies
This recipe makes a generous amount of dough, just right for a big batch of holiday cookies. If you are decorating these cookies with royal icing, you may want to purchase clear vanilla extract, which will flavor the icing without changing the color. Don't throw away the empty vanilla pod, you can place them in a jar with granulated sugar to make vanilla sugar.
PREP:
1 hour
BAKE:
10 minutes
TOTAL:
1 hour 10 minutes
YIELD:
Makes about 24 cookies
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Vanilla Bean, split open
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 tablespoon Heavy Cream
DIRECTIONS:
Whisk together and set aside:
All Purpose Flour
Baking Powder
Salt
Beat together until light and fluffy:
Unsalted Butter
Sugar
Add and beat to incorporate:
Egg Vanilla bean (scrape seeds into butter mixture)
Vanilla extract
Add and mix thoroughly:
Flour mixture from above
Add, if dough seems dry:
Heavy Cream
Mix until ingredients are incorporated. Divide dough into two disks, wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out on a lightly floured counter to 1/4 inch thickness and cut with your favorite Ann Clark cookie cutters, then transfer cookies onto cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper or silicone liners. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly colored. Let cookies cool slightly on cookie sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating with royal icing (in our recipe section).
Enjoy!