Banana Pudding is nothing if it’s not paired with some cookies to compliment the custard, whipped topping and bananas. There are so many different variations of this dessert that use all different types of cookies. There’s the increasingly popular use of Chessman cookies, the somewhat novel use of Biscoff cookies, and I even have my own recipe that calls for th euse of Lorne Doone cookies. That being said, at the end of the day, nothing will beat the traditional use of Vanilla Wafers. While you can easily go out and buy these from the store, in this post, I’m going to share my simple 6-ingredient recipe for making delicious vanilla wafers in the comfort of your own home.
Homemade vs. Store Bought Vanilla Wafers
There are many similarities between this homemade recipe for Vanilla Wafers and the kind that are sold in stores. It goes without saying, they share some of the same ingredients such as Flour, Baking Powder and Eggs. However, there are also some notable key differences that I would aruge make these Vanilla Wafers even better tasting than store-bought:
- Sugar vs. High-Fructose Corn Syrup: Perhaps the main ingredient that gives store-bought Vanilla Wafers their distinctive taste is high-fructose corn syrup. While store-bought wafers do contain natural sugar as well, the main reason for the high-fructose corn syrup is to extend the shelf-life of the wafers by helping to maintain moisture in the wafers and limiting sugar crystallization. The problem with high-fructose corn syrup is that it’s considered an ultra-processed food that’s unhealthy if consumed in large quantities because it is processed by the liver in our bodies and converted to fat, which can negative effect our metabolism and cause insulin resistance. Thus, for my homemade recipe, I only use sugar as a sweetener and omit the high-fructore corn syrup.
- Butter vs. Seed Oils: I know many folks have very strong opinions about the safety of consuming seed oils, but I have my own reason for using butter in my homemade vanilla wafer recipe that is completely unrelated. A lot of people don’t know that the store-bought vanilla wafers are actually made with a blend of soybean oil and canolia oil. The biggest, indisputed drawback when it comes to seed oils though is that they tend to be neutral-tasting. As a result, you’re not really gaining anything flavor-wise when incorporating them into vanilla wafers. This is why, for my recipe, I opted to use butter instead in order to impart a rich and slightly nutty profile into the wafers.
- Real vs. Imitation Vanilla: This is another fun fact that many people don’t know. But back in 1994, Nabisco made the decision to change the formula for their wafers and instead use artificial vanilla flavoring, as a cost savings measure. This is also the reason why the product is now called Nilla Wafers (so that they can’t be accused of false advertising). Fans who are old enough to remember the product prior to the formula change can definitely tell the difference though, and many will argue it was a massive downgrade. That is why, for my homemade Vanilla Wafer recipe calls for the use of real vanilla with the addition of vanilla extract, as homage to Nabisco’s original formula.
Many people probably think it’s so hard to make Vanilla Wafers that are just as good as (or even better than) what is sold at the grocery store. But in reality, it is surprisingly easy and it doesn’t take nearly as long as one would fear. And the best part about this particular recipe is that it uses either all-natural or minimally-processed ingredients for those who are health-conscious.
Tips for Making this Recipe
Use room temperature eggs. You have to be extremely careful with the eggs for this homemade Vanilla Wafer recipe. If you were to combine eggs with the other ingredients straight out of the refrigerator, with them still being cold, you risk having them curdle, which will completely ruin the taste and texture of the wafers. For the best results, allow the eggs sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours before using them. Alternatively, if pressed for time, you can also place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes in order to bring them up to room temperature quickly. Just be sure not to leave the eggs sitting out for longer than 2 hours without cooking them.
For the best results, use parchment paper. There are some recipes that suggest you can place the Vanilla Wafers on greased (or lightly greased) cookie sheets. The reason I advise against this is because this can cause both the bottom of the wafers and the edges to overcook and burn (thus, in my humble opinion, making the wafers unappetizing). Meanwhile, if you decided to wing it by just placing the wafers on a bare cookie sheet, you risk having them stick onto the cookie sheet as the fat melts then re-solidifies during the baking process. I strongly advise placing the wafers on parchment paper instead to ensure minimal sticking, sufficient browning as well as the right amount of spread.
Use a cookie scoop or icing tube. Why? For one reason, it’s a way to avoid having to scoop & roll the dough for the Vanilla Wafers and get your hands dirty. But also, a scoop will ensure all of the vanilla wafers are the same size and they bake evenly. In fact, as extra insurance, I even like to level the dough in my cookie scoop with a knife (but doing this is optional). For this recipe, I used a 1 TSP (0.2 oz) cookie scoop, and do note servings will vary if you use a smaller or large cookie scoop. Alternatively, you can even use an icing tube or piping bag to place the wafers on the cookie sheet.
Bake a test wafer (or two). The problem with many home ovens, especially if they’re older, is that not all of them are properly calibrated to heat to the correct temp (some of them run too cold or even too hot). To ensure you may not have to adjust the temp higher or lower by about 25 degrees, it may not hurt to test some of the dough for the Vanilla Wafers before attempting to bake it all at once to ensure they come out per the recipe instructions given. Doing this will also ensure you’re not wasting much dough (by baking it all at once) in the even you do end up having to adjust the oven temperature slightly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it required to chill the dough?
While there may be recipes that require you chill the dough, the nice about this one is that is does *NOT* require any chilling prior to baking. As a matter of fact, I strong advise against allowing the dough to chill / rest before baking. Ideally, you want to get the dough in the oven as quickly as possible to ensure sufficient spread of the Vanilla Wafers. If you allow the dough to sit for too long, they won’t flatten / spread out as much as the fat in the eggs and butter will start to seize up.
Can you substitute Oil for the Butter?
The answer to this question always gets tricky.
I do understand that not everyone is able to eat dairy products and that butter is simply not an option for such individuals. In such cases, you *COULD* replace the butter with a cooking oil, but with a couple of important caveats. For starters, while cooking oils and butter are both different types of fats that can be used in baked goods, their fat composition is not entirely equal. Cooking oils tend to have virtually no water in them (thus is 100% fat), whereas Butter typically has a water content of 20-25% (depending on the brand). So in the event you attempt to substitute the butter for cooking oils, I’d advise only using 75-80% of the amount of cooking oil.
The other caveat is that the use of cooking oils will change the flavor profile of the cookies. Seed oils (I.E. Vegetable Oil, Canola Oil, etc.), are known to be neutral-tasting, meaning they have no flavor. So you will be losing the subtle nuttiness / sweetness in your cookies that Butter offers. But then you also have your non-seed oils such as Coconut, Avocado or Olive Oil. These oils are *NOT* neutral-tasting, which means if you use them, you may end up with wafers that taste like Olives, Avocados or Coconuts, as the oils will overpower the other ingredients.
All of that said, the short and sweet answer I can give you is I *DON’T* recommend it. For a more detailed answer, see above.
Can you freeze the vanilla wafers dough? And if so, for how long?
You can definitely freeze this Vanilla Wafers dough! Once the dough has rested and you’ve formed them into balls with the cookie scoop, place them in a freezer bag and they should maintain their freshness for at least 3 months. While they may still be safe ton eat for up to 6 months in the freezer, the wafers will gradually lose their flavor and texture after 3 months have passed. For the best spread, I would advise allowing them to thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours and flattening them with your fingertip(s) before baking them in the oven.
How long can you store vanilla wafers without freezing?
As long as the vanilla wafers are stored in a airtight container or bag, they should be safe to eat for at least 3 days. After 3 days, they may begin to lose their flavor & texture. Once 5 days have passed, I would advise that you dispose of the wafers as they may no longer be edible.
Try These Cookie Recipes
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Best White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
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Best Pillowy Snickerdoodle Cookies
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Best Sugar Cookies From Scratch
Easy Homemade Vanilla Wafers Recipe
Equipment
- Whisk(s)
- Plastic Spatula (s)
- 2 Large Mixing Bowls
- Parchment Paper
- Baking Sheet(s)
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
- 1 Knife
- 1 TSP Cookie Scoop *OR* Icing Tube
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 3/4 Cup White Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Melted Unsalted Butter
- 1 TBSP Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 TSP Baking Powder
- 2 Extra Large Eggs
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients (Flour and Baking Powder) in large mixing bowl.
- Whisk dry ingredients until combined.
- Add butter + sugar in a separate large mixing bowl.
- Whisk butter with sugar until well-combined (approx. 1-2 minutes).
- Add other wet ingredients (Eggs, Vanilla Extract) to combined Butter + Sugar and whisk for 30 seconds each until combined.
- Add wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients and fold until just combined.
- Preheat oven to 350*F and line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Using cookie scoop or icing tube, place dough onto cookie sheet and ensure they are evenly spaced.
- Place cookie sheet(s) in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes***.
- Allow cookies to cool before serving.