Friday, November 13, 2009

Vanilla Bean Angel Pillows



I chose this cookie recipe from last years Better Homes and Garden Christmas Cookie magazine. I'm glad that I keep these year from year just for this reason..even if it is 8 years from now, I now that I will find something that I haven't made yet or maybe I will have made the same recipe 10 times. The bottom line here, I guess, is that I really have an addiction. I just had this conversation this week with a friend, and I am glad to know that I am not the only one with this problem. :)



I love the look of the vanilla bean speckles! :)


These cookies are just what the title describes, vanilla bean pillows. They are light and crumbly and sweet, but more buttery than sweet. Once you bite into it, the vanilla sugar on the outside sticks to your lips and chin...really, it get everywhere..but I think it just adds to the yumminess! The recipe said that this would yield 28 cookies, and that is exactly what I got. I normally go for the ones that make more than that, but I couldn't pass these up. These will be going on my platters this year, and maybe I will roll some of them in red and green sugars.


Don't forget to see what Megan, Barbara, Megan, Kim, and Denise baked up this week!


Vanilla Bean Angel Pillows

From Better Home and Gardens

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

1 cup cold butter, cubed

1/4 cup vanilla sugar*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, combine flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Cover and process until combined.

Using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape pulp from vanilla bean. Add vanilla pulp to the flour mixture; add butter. Cover and process with several on/off pulses until mixture starts to cling, stopping once to scrape bowl. Gather mixture into a ball.

Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in a preheated oven about 12 minutes or just until edges start to brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool for 5 minutes.

Place vanilla sugar in a small bowl. While cookies are warm, roll them in vanilla sugar to coat. Cool completely on wire rack. Makes about 28 cookies.

*To make vanilla sugar, in a small bowl, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 week, giving it a shake every once in awhile.

16 comments:

Denise said...

So Funny. I just made vanilla sugar becuse this years BHG cookie magazine had a vanila bean cookie recipe. Vanilla is one of my fave flavors...these look yummy.

The Blonde Duck said...

Those look so light--I bet you can pop ten in your mouth without sugar overload!

Donna-FFW said...

Oh they look fantastic. I, too, am a hoarder of these magazines. I have about 10 years worth. And I look at them each year and amazingly discover something new each year.

Kim said...

I understand about keeping the magazines. I have stacks of them too :D These cookies look so tasty and light. I love that they are called angel pillows. What a sweet name for a christmas cookie.

stephchows said...

mmm they do look like perfect pillows don't they :)

Debbie said...

Do they ever look good! I will give these a try also for Christmas....nothing beats a good cookie!

brokeintrovert said...

I am going to add this cookie to my christmas cookie list. I have a recipe to share with you that is similar. Go to the Land O'Lakes website and search for Lemon Meltaways. Instead of using their directions to slice and bake...roll into small balls and flatten with a teacloth-covered drinking glass. Bake and frost as usual. Really, really great cookie. I have made these a lot and even people who are not lemon fans love these cookies.

Ingrid_3Bs said...

I am a vanilla girl from waaaay back. Love the name of these cookies.

I don't know what you're taking about. Addicted to cookbook and cooking magazines? You? Me? (Shh, that was supposed to be out little secret, April! LOL!)

Happy Friday!
~ingrid

Megan said...

Mmm - like shortbread but with an extra vanilla kick. Sounds good to me!

Megan said...

I love vanilla bean anything too. These look great and I bet they would be real cute rolled in colored sugar!

Barbara Bakes said...

I love the name of these! They sound heavenly!

Ashley said...

What a light and beautiful cookie recipe! These look great :)

Deborah said...

I also have that addiction! These look so good!

tinyskillet said...

They look and sound really good!

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

they doo look light and airy...so perfect for Christmas!

Unknown said...

These look soo good! I'm making these soon! :)

Friday, November 13, 2009

Vanilla Bean Angel Pillows



I chose this cookie recipe from last years Better Homes and Garden Christmas Cookie magazine. I'm glad that I keep these year from year just for this reason..even if it is 8 years from now, I now that I will find something that I haven't made yet or maybe I will have made the same recipe 10 times. The bottom line here, I guess, is that I really have an addiction. I just had this conversation this week with a friend, and I am glad to know that I am not the only one with this problem. :)



I love the look of the vanilla bean speckles! :)


These cookies are just what the title describes, vanilla bean pillows. They are light and crumbly and sweet, but more buttery than sweet. Once you bite into it, the vanilla sugar on the outside sticks to your lips and chin...really, it get everywhere..but I think it just adds to the yumminess! The recipe said that this would yield 28 cookies, and that is exactly what I got. I normally go for the ones that make more than that, but I couldn't pass these up. These will be going on my platters this year, and maybe I will roll some of them in red and green sugars.


Don't forget to see what Megan, Barbara, Megan, Kim, and Denise baked up this week!


Vanilla Bean Angel Pillows

From Better Home and Gardens

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise

1 cup cold butter, cubed

1/4 cup vanilla sugar*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, combine flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Cover and process until combined.

Using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape pulp from vanilla bean. Add vanilla pulp to the flour mixture; add butter. Cover and process with several on/off pulses until mixture starts to cling, stopping once to scrape bowl. Gather mixture into a ball.

Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake in a preheated oven about 12 minutes or just until edges start to brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool for 5 minutes.

Place vanilla sugar in a small bowl. While cookies are warm, roll them in vanilla sugar to coat. Cool completely on wire rack. Makes about 28 cookies.

*To make vanilla sugar, in a small bowl, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 1 week, giving it a shake every once in awhile.

16 comments:

Denise said...

So Funny. I just made vanilla sugar becuse this years BHG cookie magazine had a vanila bean cookie recipe. Vanilla is one of my fave flavors...these look yummy.

The Blonde Duck said...

Those look so light--I bet you can pop ten in your mouth without sugar overload!

Donna-FFW said...

Oh they look fantastic. I, too, am a hoarder of these magazines. I have about 10 years worth. And I look at them each year and amazingly discover something new each year.

Kim said...

I understand about keeping the magazines. I have stacks of them too :D These cookies look so tasty and light. I love that they are called angel pillows. What a sweet name for a christmas cookie.

stephchows said...

mmm they do look like perfect pillows don't they :)

Debbie said...

Do they ever look good! I will give these a try also for Christmas....nothing beats a good cookie!

brokeintrovert said...

I am going to add this cookie to my christmas cookie list. I have a recipe to share with you that is similar. Go to the Land O'Lakes website and search for Lemon Meltaways. Instead of using their directions to slice and bake...roll into small balls and flatten with a teacloth-covered drinking glass. Bake and frost as usual. Really, really great cookie. I have made these a lot and even people who are not lemon fans love these cookies.

Ingrid_3Bs said...

I am a vanilla girl from waaaay back. Love the name of these cookies.

I don't know what you're taking about. Addicted to cookbook and cooking magazines? You? Me? (Shh, that was supposed to be out little secret, April! LOL!)

Happy Friday!
~ingrid

Megan said...

Mmm - like shortbread but with an extra vanilla kick. Sounds good to me!

Megan said...

I love vanilla bean anything too. These look great and I bet they would be real cute rolled in colored sugar!

Barbara Bakes said...

I love the name of these! They sound heavenly!

Ashley said...

What a light and beautiful cookie recipe! These look great :)

Deborah said...

I also have that addiction! These look so good!

tinyskillet said...

They look and sound really good!

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

they doo look light and airy...so perfect for Christmas!

Unknown said...

These look soo good! I'm making these soon! :)