Homemade vanilla wafers are really really simple to whip up. They'll take about a half hour to make and this recipe will make between 30-40 small cookies.

They don't taste dead on like traditional vanilla wafers because we're not using all the crazy ingredients, but I think they turned out very nice. :D

You can also make them into softer, cakier cookies by not flattening the dough before you bake it and by baking it for a shorter time. My first batch of vanilla wafers went that way and turned into a yummy mistake.

Step 1: Ingredients

1 cup AP flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted (4 tablespoons)
2 egg yolks

You'll also want baking sheets and parchment paper. :)

Step 2: Make the Cookie Dough

Sift the flour into a bowl and set it aside.

Now whisk the vanilla, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl until combined. Add in the melted butter and whisk again until nice and smooth.

Now you'll add in the egg yolks - make sure to whisk until you can't see any clumps of egg!

Add in the flour and use a whisk or spoon to bring the mix together until no dry spots are left - I used a whisk and it was a little tricky just because the dough is so stiff. :)

You'll also want to preheat the oven to 350 F.

Step 3: Roll the Cookies Out

This took a little trial and error, ha. The first batch I made, I didn't flatten the cookies out since I was not sure how much spreading they'd do. :) They turned out little and fat.

What I recommend is using a teaspoon measure to portion out the dough - roll those portions into round balls and then flatten them slightly between your hands.

That gave the best taste and texture.

Step 4: Baking the Cookies

Make sure your oven is preheated to 350 F.

Bake the cookies for 12 minutes or until nicely golden around the edges. Rotate the pans halfway through for best results!

(You can also bake the round cookie balls for about 10 minutes if you want them to turn into soft and strange sugar cookie bites.)

They'll harden up nicely once baked and cooled. Enjoy! :D