Vegan Vanilla Wafer Cookies

These soft-yet-crispy vegan vanilla wafers are even better than store-bought vanilla wafers. They are so easy to make using 6 ingredients and less than 30 minutes!

Normally I'm more of a soft sugar cookie kinda gal, but crispy vanilla wafers have a fond place in my heart. There's just something about that store-bought box of sweet, chewy-but-crunchy vanilla wafers.

But here's the thing: if you're looking for vegan vanilla wafers, the box from the store likely is not vegan. This recipe for vegan vanilla wafers is egg-free, dairy-free, and can be modified to be gluten-free too.

Recipe features

• Texture: Crisp and crunchy just like boxed vanilla wafers.
• Simple: Packed with vanilla flavor and 6 simple sugar cookie ingredients.
• Quick & easy: Ready in less than 30 minutes using classic baking methods. All you need to make these vegan is vegan butter. No egg replacements are used in this recipe!

What are vanilla wafers?

When I talk about vanilla wafers, I mean the kind of small golden vanilla-flavored cookie available at pretty much every major grocery store in the US. It's the kind of cookie used in banana pudding or even chocolate pudding.

These are not soft cookies. They are on the harder side, but they are also crispy, light, and they melt in your mouth. They have a strong vanilla flavor and are similar to a very crispy sugar cookie.

In fact, this is basically a sugar cookie recipe baked longer than usual. Many store-brand vanilla wafers are actually sometimes vegan, or at least dairy-free and egg-free. However, it's hard to beat a home-baked cookie!

Ingredients

• Vegan butter: I use the Earth Balance vegan buttery spread, but sticks will also work. I prefer this butter because it doesn't have a strong soy taste, so it works well in baked goods.
• Sugar: White (refined) sugar is used in this recipe. My Darling Vegan has a helpful resource on choosing vegan sugar. You'll want to use a classic fine grain baking sugar like the kind usually found in table sugar.
• Vanilla extract: Because vanilla flavoring is integral to vanilla wafers, I recommend using pure vanilla extract for these cookies. But I won't judge you if you use artificial vanilla, the real stuff is expensive!
• All-purpose white flour: I use White Lily for most of my baking (not just biscuits!), but any all-purpose flour will do. 
• Baking powder: Because we aren't using eggs in this recipe, baking powder is integral to the cookie rising.

Honorable mention for salt, which adds a contrasting flavor to these otherwise quite sweet cookies.

Step by step instructions

These cookies are made using the classic cookie method. Start by creaming together vegan butter and sugar with a hand or stand mixer until light and creamy.

Next, add the vanilla and beat until combined. Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) in a separate bowl.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture just ½ cup at a time, beating until just combined. It should look like the image above. Adding dry ingredients slowly ensures that the cookie dough doesn't become too dry.

For evenly sized cookies, measure out a rounded teaspoon cookie dough ball. This is basically a 2-teaspoon sized vanilla wafer. Space the cookie dough balls at least 2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Bake for 11-13 minutes on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degrees F oven. The cookies are ready when the edges are golden brown.

Wafer baking tips

• Butter: Make sure that the vegan butter is fully softened before creaming with the sugar. Slice it up into 3-4 pieces to allow it to come to room temperature more quickly. It is ready when you can make an indent with your finger without much resistance.
• Vanilla wafer sizes: If you want cookies the size of actual vanilla wafers you only need to scoop out a rounded teaspoon. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350F. For more regular sized cookies scoop out two teaspoons of cookie dough (this will make two dozen cookies) and bake for 11-13 minutes. For softer and more traditional sugar cookies, bake 1 tablespoon measure for 9-11 minutes.
• Flour: Always spoon and level flour into a measuring cup instead of dipping the cup directly into the flour. To do this, use a spoon to measure flour into the measuring cup until overflowing. Use the back of a knife to wipe excess flour off.
• Keep an eye on the wafers as they cook. They are ready when the edges are golden. They firm up into a crisper texture after cooling.

Recipe FAQ

Looking for more vegan desserts?

Wondering why I really made vanilla wafers? This creamy vegan banana pudding somehow makes these crispy little wafers even better. You'll want to check this recipe out if you're a fan of vegan desserts.

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Note: This recipe was updated May 2021 with improved method and extra tips. The recipe remains the same.