Best Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies Recipes

VANILLA-BEAN SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter, shortening, and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. With a knife halve vanilla beans lengthwise. Scrape seeds into butter mixture and beat in egg and vanilla extract until combined well. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into mixture and beat until just combined.
• On a large sheet of wax paper form dough into a 10- by 2-inch log and roll up in wax paper. Chill dough until firm, at least 4 hours. Dough keeps up to 3 days wrapped in wax paper and foil.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Put remaining 1/4 cup sugar on a platter. Remove wax paper and roll log in sugar (not all sugar will adhere to log). Cut log crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and dip cut sides of slices in sugar on platter. Arrange cookies 1/2 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets and bake in batches in middle of oven 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are pale golden. With a metal spatula transfer cookies to a rack to cool. Cookies may be made 2 days ahead (see note, above) and kept between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container.

VANILLA-BEAN SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter with granulated sugar and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla; beat to combine. Add flour and beat until a soft dough forms, about 30 seconds. Divide in half; place each half between two sheets of floured parchment and roll out to 1/4-inch thickness. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Using a cookie cutter, cut dough into 1 1/4-inch rounds. Gather scraps and reroll; refrigerate 15 minutes and cut more rounds. Refrigerate rounds 20 minutes. Brush edges of cookies with egg white; roll in sanding sugar to coat. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets, 1 inch apart. (If dough is softening, return to refrigerator 10 minutes.)
• Bake, rotating halfway through, until cookies are just golden on bottoms, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely on pans on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

VANILLA BEAN SPICE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise.
• Carefully scrape out seeds, using a small sharp knife.
• Set seeds aside.
• Beat butter in a large mixing bowl at medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy.
• Gradually add vanilla sugar and vanilla bean seeds, beating until light and fluffy.
• Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing well.
• Combine flour,spices and salt,gradually add to butter mixture, beating until smooth.
• Divide dough into four.
• Wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill 1 hour.
• Roll each dough to 1/4" thickness on a lightly floured surface.
• Cut with 3" and 4" your favorite cookie cutters.
• Place on lightly greased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned.
• Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire racks, and cool completely.
• Combine 1/2 cup white chocolate morsels and 1 tablespoon shortening in a 1-cup glass measure.
• Melt morsels according to package directions.
• Place cookies on a wire rack over wax paper.
• Pour or spread white chocolate mixture over each cookie, tilting cookie to coat completely.
• Sprinkle cookies with sparkling sugar.
• Let stand until frosting hardens.
• Repeat procedure with remaining white morsels, shortening, and sugar until all cookies are decorated.