Bake the Classics: Perfect Vanilla Cookies Recipe

Learn how to make classic vanilla cookies with butter, sugar, and other basic ingredients. These are soft and chewy and delicious! This is also a very easy recipe, especially if you are new to baking.

My tastes have changed as I’ve gotten older. And by “tastes,” I mean taste buds. Which, I’ve never been a food snob by any means. And I’ve always like desserts.

In the past, a “dessert” meant chocolate was involved, or something rich like cheesecake. I wanted to be wowed, with the flavors bursting in my mouth.

Or along those lines.

Basically if I was going to go for the goodies, I wanted to go all the way. Something really bad for me! Something flavorful. I think you are picking up what I’m putting down!

As I’ve gone into my 40s, times have changed. I’m more open to desserts that are more subtle. It doesn’t have to completely overwhelm the senses to be tasty.

For instance, now I like rice pudding, shortbread cookies, pound cakes, custards, and more. And one of my favorite recipes to make for a tasty baked good these days?

Vanilla cookies!

So many of us (including myself) are often so obsessed with chocolate (and unique flavors like pumpkin) that we forget about vanilla desserts. And how could we? It’s such an oversight.

Whether you’re making them for a Christmas cookie exchange or just for everyday eating, this vanilla cookie recipe is going to be a new favorite.

They’re quick and easy to make, soft and chewy, plus they have a delicate vanilla flavor combined with a rich buttery taste. You’re really going to love them, I promise!

Tips for Making Delicious Cookies

Are you looking to make the tastiest cookies ever? I’ve got some tips for you. Here’s what I always make sure to pay attention to. If you don’t need tips for cookie baking, you can just scroll on down.

Use Quality Ingredients

Use high-quality, fresh ingredients for the best cookie flavor and texture. You’ll for sure want to get fresh eggs, good quality butter, and pure vanilla extract (instead of imitation).

Measure Precisely

Flour is often the main dry ingredient in cookies. Measure using the scoop-and-level method, as adding too much flour can result in dry baked goods.

Bring Cold Ingredients to Room Temp

Bring ingredients like butter, eggs, and milk to room temperature before mixing. They will incorporate better, resulting in smoother batter and soft cookies. They don’t need to be warm; slightly cool to room temp is fine.

Avoid Overmixing

Mix the batter just until ingredients are combined, or the dry disappears into the wet. Overmixing can result in tough cookies.

Chill the Dough

Chilling the cookie dough in the fridge for the specified time (or even overnight) before baking allows the flavors to meld and the fats to solidify. This results in cookies with better flavor and texture. It also prevents them from spreading too much during baking.

Look for Golden Edges

Unless the recipe says otherwise, the edges of the cookies should turn a golden brown while the center remains slightly soft. This balance ensures a chewy texture without overbaking.

Cool Before Transferring

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them set and avoids them becoming too fragile and crumbling apart.

Remember, practicing and experimenting will help you perfect your cookie baking skills over time. Have fun and enjoy the process of creating delicious baked goods! Here’s what you’re going to need for these classic vanilla cookies.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Milk (to add to the dough if it’s dry)

Tools and Equipment

• Bowl
• Mixer
• Spoon
• Cookie scoop
• Cookie sheet(s)
• Parchment paper or silpat

Keep these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. They’ll last a few weeks in the refrigerator.

You can also freeze them in an airtight container for up to six months. When you bring them out of the freezer, let them rise to room temperature naturally as opposed to microwaving.

Get the printable recipe for these cookies below:

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If you enjoyed this easy cookie recipe, I’d love for you to check out these other cookie recipes that you might also like:

Almond Flour Shortbread • Apple Pie • Apricot Dark Chocolate • Bacon Chocolate Chip • Brownie Chocolate Chip • Buckeye • Butterscotch Chocolate Chip • Butterscotch Popcorn • Caramel Apple • Chocolate Chip (Air Fryer) • Chocolate Chip Pudding • Chocolate Chip Sandwich • Chocolate Marshmallow • Chocolate Mint Sandwich • Chocolate Thumbprint • Christmas Butter • Christmas Linzer • Circus Animal • Cotton Candy • Easter M&M • Funfetti • Ginger Molasses • Halloween M&M • Heath Bar • Lemon Blueberry Thumbprint • Lemon Cream Cheese • Lemon Shortbread • Nutella Stuffed • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip • Oatmeal Cream Pies • Paleo Shortbread • Peanut Butter Blossoms • Peanut Butter Cookie Cups • Peppermint Frosted • Peppermint Pudding • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip • Pumpkin Linzer • Pumpkin Sugar • Red Velvet Thumbprint • Reese’s Pieces • Reindeer • Ritz S’mores • Rolo • Santa Cookies • Snickers • White Chocolate Cranberry • White Chocolate Snickerdoodles