Vanilla Bean Christmas Sugar Cookies
{Today marks the very 1st day of my 12 Days of Giveaways–> Click here to enter to win 12 amazing prizes!}
Today also marks the first day of the 12 Days of Holiday Goodies! Holla!
These cookies are amazing. I first made them last year for my daughters 2nd Birthday party and they were a huge hit with the parents and kiddies alike. I got the original recipe from Bridget over at Bake at 350. I’ve always made them her way because they always came out perfectly. But with it being the holidays and all, I decided to fancy them up a bit with some vanilla beans. {I also sent these in the mail to some ladies as part of The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap!}
These sugar cookies always turn out perfectly and are tender, soft and chewy. Not crispy {!!} which is how all sugar cookies should be. Once they come out of the oven, you can decorate them how you like or eat them plain! Grab a helper and lets make some cookies!
First, you’re going to want to start out with some basic sugar cookie ingredients that we all have…except for the vanilla bean. If you don’t have it, then leave it out! No prob! The nice folks at Beanilla sent me some, so of course I used them! 
Start out with a cup of butter. In Bridget’s original recipe, she calls for cold butter. I like using soft, room temperature butter. If it’s somewhere in between, then you’re good.
To that, add a cup of vanilla sugar. Basically, you bury a vanilla bean into some sugar and that’s it. Vanilla sugar! Again, if you don’t have vanilla sugar, just use regular! Cream the butter and sugar together.
Slice that vanilla bean down the middle and then scrape out the caviar inside using the back of the knife and throw that into the butter and sugar along with..
an egg, almond extract and vanilla extract.
Whip that up, scrape the sides and whip again.
P.S–> this handy dandy ingredient dispenser/cover thingy works wonders on keeping little fingers out of the dough!! Kitchenaid knew I’d be baking with my 2 year old!
Next, add in the last two ingredients: flour…
and baking powder.
After a few turns around the bowl, the paddle will mix everything together and you’ll see the dough come together. Once it looks like the middle picture, stop mixing and form the dough into a nice big fat ball o’ dough.
Now, lets get to the best part! Cutting out the cookies!! Flour a clean work surface, the rolling pin and half of the dough.
Roll it out to be about 1/4-1/2 inch thick, depending how you like your cookies.
P.P.S–> Find some festive cookie cutters before you get to this stage. I misplaced mine and a certain little 2 year old maybe may have had a meltdown. Also, see that bell cookie cutter? My little one had another meltdown when she discovered that the bell cookie cutter was not in fact Belle from Beauty and the Beast.
Ok, NOW is the best part. Cut out those cookies!
Being careful as you pull the cookie cutter up was the hardest part for my baby, but she got the hang of it.
Get those shapes onto some parchment of a baking mat and freeze 5 minutes before baking.
After a few minutes in the oven, they’ll be done! Cool them a few minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
After this, you can eat them plain or decorate as you like. I used a few fun things to make mine a little more jolly. {The Wilton frosting is such a time saver!!}
After you jazz these cookies up, make sure you let them dry completely before packing them up. But, all together, they make a lovely plate of goodies for Santa!
If they don’t make it to the 24th, I won’t blame you! They are tasty little devils. Again, it’s my all time favorite cut out sugar cookie recipe. {Meaning, I ate 2 dozen myself.}
Happy Holidays! And don’t forget to enter my GIVEAWAY!
Products used in this recipe:
Wilton frosting, cookie cutters, food coloring
Beanilla Vanilla Beans, Vanilla Extract
OXO Pop Top Storage Containers, Spatulas, measuring cups, measuring spoons,
Kitchenaid 7-qt. stand mixer
Chicago Metallics cookie sheets, cooling racks
Le Creuset Spatulas
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:23]
Yum! I think I’ll have to try these! I already have my absolute fave sugar cookie recipe, but I’d really like to try out a vanilla bean recipe too. Adorable pics!
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These cookies are pretty and sound delicious!
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Gorgeous!
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so fun!! i love that you cook with your daughter
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she is just the sweetest ever!!!
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These are gorgeous and your daughter is just beautiful!!!! How fun it must be to cook with her.
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Fun! She is so cute!
We used to decorate sugar cookies all the time at Christmas. Such a great memory!
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Gorgeous, just gorgeous. You’re adorable baby just made my fever break – baby-fever has struck. Ahhh!!! Too cute for words.
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Lauren, your daughter is an absolute doll! So that’s what it’s like to have a daughter huh???
I’m just about to embark on some sugar cookie baking for donations next week and this recipe looks like a good one.
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How pretty are these!? I love a good soft sugar cookie, they are hard to come by sometimes.
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I love that sugar cookie recipe too! It’s my fave. The cookies look beautiful and so does your little one—just like her momma!
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these are absolutely beautiful Lauren! I would happily devour 2 dozen of them
And I love that your cute little munchkin got to help out too.
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Whaaaaaa these sound delicious! As I mentioned on the other post, I love sugar cookies, so these are getting made PRONTO!
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I just put the mixing bowl cover in my Amazon cart. I can’t believe I didn’t think to get one sooner. I make a MESS when I bake and this would totally help. And help my son be able to assist me. Thanks!
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I think my favorite part of this post is the photos of your little helper.
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I was one of the lucky recipients of these delicious, most beautimous cookies! Thank you so much–they are wonderful! I did take a photo and feature it at the bottom of my own cookie recipe today. Love the pics of your little helper!
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So stinkin’ cute!!
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For goodness sakes, could your daughter be any cuter?!?
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Is there anyway to get the full recipe? The one you’ve posted does not give the amount of flour, almond extract, vanilla extract, or eggs to use. I have been searching forever for a sugar cookie recipe that doesn’t turn crispy the way mine usually do. I would love to try this one out!!! Thanks!!!
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Linda Underwood — November 10th, 2012 @ 6:17 pm
Did you ever get the full recipe? I’ve requested it three times without a resonse, just wondering if you had better luck and if so could you send it to me. Linda
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Krystina — December 19th, 2012 @ 9:27 pm
How much flour?
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I knew your cookies would be awesome!! I think our daughters are about the same age and I love that they’re actually HELPFUL now, so fun to pass on the passion!!
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great post! First picture is absolutely amazing!
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These are so pretty! I have like the exact same cookie cutters
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Thanks so much for the sweet shout-out! I LOVE these pictures!!!
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Your little helper looks JUST like you!
Cute!!!!
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I’ve been using this same recipe for many years and they are always perfect! Love how you decorated them, especially that mitten!
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These look wonderful! Found you via the cookie swap!
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How much flour?
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Please…..love this recipe
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