✔ Updated · Method order fixed (when to add the flour), new step photos
These homemade vanilla wafers are small, crisp, buttery cookies with a clean vanilla flavor, the kind you eat by the handful or layer into banana pudding. My mum’s banana pudding is the reason I started baking my own.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Add the flour mixture last, on low speed, and stop as soon as no dry flour remains. Then chill the dough for 30 minutes so the wafers hold their small, round shape.
I corrected the method after reader feedback: my old steps sifted the flour and baking powder but never said when to add them. Now the order is clear: cream the butter and powdered sugar, beat in the egg, vanilla and milk, then mix in the flour mixture, chill the dough and bake. You'll also find the best desserts to make with vanilla wafers below.
Why You'll Love These Vanilla Wafers
- Crisp edges, tender centers, with a buttery vanilla flavor.
- Simple pantry ingredients: butter, powdered sugar, egg, vanilla, milk and flour.
- Perfect for desserts, from banana pudding to cheesecake crusts and icebox cakes.
- Easy to make ahead, and they keep for a week in an airtight container.
The Right Order for Mixing Vanilla Wafers
Like most butter cookies, vanilla wafers use the creaming method, and the order matters. The dry ingredients are combined first so the baking powder is evenly spread through the flour. The butter and sugar are creamed to trap air, the egg, vanilla and milk are beaten in, and the flour mixture goes in last, mixed only until it disappears.
- 1. Dry: whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together.
- 2. Cream: beat the butter and powdered sugar until pale and fluffy.
- 3. Wet: beat in the egg, then the vanilla and milk.
- 4. Combine: mix in the flour mixture on low speed, just until combined.
- 5. Chill and bake: chill for 30 minutes, then bake small rounds at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Soften the butter, don't melt it. Room-temperature butter creams into a light, fluffy base. Melted butter makes flat, greasy wafers.
- Flour goes in last. Mix the dry ingredients into the creamed butter, egg and milk on low speed and stop as soon as they disappear. Overmixing makes tough wafers.
- Chill the dough. Thirty minutes in the fridge firms the soft dough so it's easy to scoop and the wafers keep their round shape. I skipped it once and got thin, lacy puddles.
- Keep them small. A level teaspoon of dough bakes into a classic bite-size wafer. Larger scoops need a few more minutes and won't be as crisp.
- Bake until the edges are golden. Pale wafers stay soft. Golden edges mean they'll turn crisp as they cool.
- Dairy-free option: use a plant-based baking stick and oat or almond milk.
Homemade Vanilla Wafers
48
wafers45
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kcal1
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minutesSmall, crisp, buttery vanilla wafer cookies made with butter, powdered sugar, egg, vanilla and a little milk. The flour mixture is mixed in last, the dough is chilled, then scooped into small rounds and baked at 350°F until the edges turn golden. Makes about 48 wafers.
Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients
1½ cups all-purpose flour (190 g)
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
- Wet Ingredients
1/2 cup salted butter, softened (1 stick)
1 cup powdered (confectioners’) sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or seeds of 1 vanilla bean)
2 tablespoons whole milk
Directions
- Mix the Dough
- In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, then the vanilla and the milk, scraping down the bowl, until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed just until no dry flour remains. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes, until firm enough to scoop.
- Shape and Bake
- Near the end of the chilling time, heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop level teaspoons of dough, roll them into balls and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Flatten each one slightly with your fingertip.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the centers are pale golden.
- Cool the wafers on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely. They crisp up as they cool.
Notes
- As we said above, the key to this recipe is getting your butter and sugar really smooth. These might seem like small steps, but they make a massive difference to the end result.
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Desserts to Make With Vanilla Wafers
Homemade or store-bought, vanilla wafers are a building block for plenty of easy desserts.
- Banana pudding: layer wafers with sliced bananas and vanilla pudding, like this Magnolia Bakery-style banana pudding.
- Vanilla wafer crust: mix 1½ cups of fine wafer crumbs with 5 tablespoons of melted butter and press into a pie plate for cheesecake or cream pie.
- Mini cheesecakes: put a wafer in the bottom of each lined muffin cup as a ready-made crust.
- Icebox cake: layer wafers with whipped cream and chill overnight until they turn cake-like.
- Truffles and balls: crush wafers, mix with softened cream cheese, roll into balls and dip in melted chocolate.
- Ice cream sandwiches: sandwich a small scoop of ice cream between two wafers and freeze.
Storing and Freezing
- Room temperature: airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: freeze baked wafers in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Dough: refrigerate the dough for up to 2 days, or freeze scooped balls and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
- Re-crisp: if wafers soften, bake them at 300°F for 3 to 5 minutes and cool completely.
Substitutes for Vanilla Wafers
Out of wafers? For a crust, use the same amount of graham cracker crumbs, shortbread crumbs or crushed animal crackers. For banana pudding, shortbread cookies or ladyfingers work well. For snacking, plain sugar cookies are the closest swap.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do you add the flour to vanilla wafers?
Add the flour last. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together first, cream the butter and powdered sugar, beat in the egg, vanilla and milk, then mix in the flour mixture on low speed in two additions, just until no dry flour remains. Chill the dough before baking.
Why are my homemade vanilla wafers soft instead of crisp?
They were probably underbaked or made too large. Bake level-teaspoon portions until the edges are golden brown, then let them cool completely on a rack, where they crisp up. Store them in an airtight container so they don't absorb moisture.
Can I use homemade vanilla wafers in banana pudding?
Yes. Homemade wafers work well in banana pudding and soften nicely as the pudding sets. Layer them with sliced bananas and vanilla pudding, then chill for at least 4 hours. One batch of about 48 wafers is enough for a 9×13-inch dish.
Can I use granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar?
Yes, use 3/4 cup of granulated sugar. The wafers will be slightly crunchier and spread a little more. Powdered sugar gives a finer, smoother texture that's closer to classic store-bought vanilla wafers.
How long do homemade vanilla wafers last?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Great recipe!
These cookies are delicious and saving your recipe thank you
How much milk to you use?
When do you add the flour?
Thanks for catching this, Nancy! The flour step is missing: add the sifted flour and baking powder after the milk, mixing on low just until combined, then chill the batter as written. I’ve flagged the recipe so the step gets added.