French Vanilla Cookies (Vanilla Bean Cookies)

Quick Summary: French vanilla cookies, also called vanilla bean cookies, are rich, buttery cut-out cookies flavored with real vanilla bean and vanilla bean powder. This one-bowl recipe needs no dough chilling and bakes in about 10 minutes, making pale, tender cookies perfect for gifting.

What are French vanilla cookies?

French vanilla cookies are rich, buttery cut-out cookies in the style of French sablés (French butter cookies), flavored with real vanilla rather than a single "French vanilla" ingredient. The name points to the vanilla-forward flavor and the classic French butter-cookie method: a simple dough of flour, butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla, rolled and cut into shapes.

Here, the flavor comes from both scraped vanilla bean and vanilla bean powder, which leaves tiny dark specks across the pale, tender cookies. They sit somewhere between a soft sugar cookie and a crisp shortbread.

Why you'll love this recipe

• Full of vanilla flavor: real vanilla bean and vanilla bean powder give a sweet, vanilla-forward taste for any time of day.
• Simple and quick: a one-bowl recipe with no need for an electric mixer, stand mixer, or even a hand whisk.
• No chilling: the dough needs no chill time, saving you the wait that many cut-out cookie recipes require.
• Forgiving dough: it is easy to work with, so you can roll and re-roll the scraps a few times.
• Great for the holidays: cut-out cookies are an easy choice for Christmas and any time of the year.
• No fancy decorating: sprinkle the cookies with a sugar-and vanilla-bean powder mix, with no pastry bag or piping skills needed.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Flour: The recipe calls for wheat flour, unbleached all-purpose flour sifted after being measured.

• Baking powder, as a leavening agent, adds lightness to cookies.

• Icing sugar: Make it at home with a coffee grinder or use store-bought icing sugar.

• Vanilla sugar intensifies the vanilla flavor of cookies.

• Vanilla bean: The real vanilla bean is the star of these cookies. I wouldn't suggest replacing it, but if you have difficulty finding it, substitute 3 to 4 drops of pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.

• Vanilla bean powder is another star of this cookie recipe. Please don't confuse it with vanilla powder. Vanilla bean powder brings the natural flavor, and its specks resemble vanilla seeds on top of cookies. Look for it at the grocery store or purchase on Amazon.

• Eggs: Use 1 large egg at room temperature to make the cookie dough and 1 egg yolk for gilding (read about gilding in the FAQ section).

• Butter: The recipe calls for unsalted butter. Bring the cold butter to the counter 1 to 2 hours before starting. Use high-fat European-style butter for a richer flavor in making vanilla bean butter cookies.

• Milk: Use whole milk to make the egg wash.

• Brown sugar is used to sprinkle the cookies; replace it with white or cane sugar if desired.

Equipment

You need only a few basic tools to make these French vanilla cookies:

• mixing bowl
• rolling pin
• cookie cutters
• parchment paper
• pastry brush
• baking sheet
• wire rack

How to make French vanilla cookies

Step 1. Heat oven to 355°F (180°C). Line cookie sheets (or a baking tray) with parchment paper.

Step 2. To extract the seeds from a vanilla bean, cut it in half lengthwise. Run a knife across the inside of the bean and scrape the seed pulp onto the blade.

Step 3. Mix the flour with the baking powder in a large mixing bowl, then sift the mixture using a flour sifter.

Step 4. Dig a well in the dry ingredients and place granulated sugar, vanilla sugar, scraped vanilla bean seeds, and the whole egg in the center. Mix with a rubber spatula (photo 1).

Step 5. Add the softened butter, cut into pieces, and mix the cookie dough by hand (photo 2). Shape a ball of dough.

Step 6. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to ¼-5/16" (0.6-0.8 cm) thick.

Step 7. Dip your favorite cookie cutters (for example, a flower cookie cutter) into flour and cut out shapes. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets. 

Pro tip: Collect the scraps, re-roll the cookie dough, and continue cutting cookies until you have used up all the dough.

Step 8. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the milk. Brush each cookie with the egg mixture.

Step 9. Sift the brown sugar and vanilla bean powder into a separate bowl and sprinkle evenly over the cookies (photo 3).

Step 10. Bake cookies for 10 minutes. They will remain pale or slightly golden brown. Let the baked cookies cool on the sheets for at least 8-10 minutes (photo 4); then, transfer them to a wire rack.

Expert Tips

1. Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to make the cookie dough if desired.
2. When experimenting with different cookie cutters, make sure your cookies are of the same shape and size. It is essential for even baking.
3. Don't discard the empty vanilla bean pod. Instead, add it to a container with granulated sugar, cover it, and store it at room temperature. Enjoy your vanilla-infused sugar in yogurt or tea.

Recipe variations

There are a few easy ways to make these French vanilla cookies your own:

• No vanilla extract needed: this classic French recipe relies on real vanilla bean and vanilla bean powder, so you get pure vanilla flavor without extract.
• Vanilla swaps: replace the scraped vanilla bean seeds with vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste if that is what you have.
• Topping: vanilla bean powder is the star of these vanilla bean cookies, but if you cannot find it, sprinkle the cookies with brown sugar for extra texture.
• Sandwich cookies: spread a little mascarpone frosting on one cookie and top it with another to make a sandwich.

Storing & freezing

Store vanilla butter cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.

To freeze the baked cookies, place them in a plastic or glass container and freeze them for three months. Bring the cookies to the counter for about 1 to 2 hours to thaw.

To freeze the cookie dough, cover it with plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. To defrost, bring to room temperature until soft. Roll dough, cut out, and bake as desired.

Recipe FAQ

What's the difference between vanilla bean powder and vanilla powder?
Vanilla bean powder (also called ground vanilla powder) is vanilla beans ground to a fine powder. It hardly dissolves in liquids and is used with sugar as a sweetener. Vanilla powder is a sucrose- or dextrose-based vanilla extract mix that dissolves easily in beverages and is widely used in hot chocolate mixes, packaged cakes, or pancake mixes.

What is gilding in baking?
Gilding (la dorure in French) is a technique for applying a thin layer of egg wash (a mixture of eggs or egg yolks with milk or water) to the surface of a pastry. It adds shine and protects the pastry from burning.

Can I use vanilla extract instead of vanilla bean?
Yes. If you cannot find a vanilla bean, replace the scraped seeds with 3 to 4 drops of pure vanilla extract or a little vanilla bean paste. The flavor is still good, though you lose the tiny vanilla specks.

Are French vanilla cookies soft or crisp?
They bake up pale and tender, sitting between a soft sugar cookie and a crisp shortbread. For crisper edges, bake a minute or two longer, but keep the tops from browning.

Can you make French vanilla cookies ahead of time?
Yes. You can freeze the dough for up to 2 months or the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw the dough until soft, then roll, cut, and bake as usual.

How many calories are in a French vanilla cookie?
Each cookie has about 118 calories.

Love cookies? Try these next!

• Classic French madeleines
• Cantucci (Italian almond biscotti)
• Cucidati (Italian fig cookies)
• Sweetened condensed milk cookies
• Christmas gingerbread madeleines

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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.