Vanilla Sugar

Vanilla-flavored sugar is popularly used in European cuisine. It is commonly used for making cakes and cookies, but, can also be added to hot drinks for an unusual flavor. Although it may not be easily available in other parts of the world, it can be easily made at home using the following recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 whole vanilla bean
• 2 cups of sugar

Method of Preparation
Cut the vanilla bean vertically from the side and remove the beans out of it. Put the sugar in an airtight container. Put the vanilla seeds and bean skin inside the sugar and shake well. Store the airtight container in a cupboard for 1-2 weeks. You can shake it after 2-3 days regularly. This sugar can be used for 10-12 months. If you take some sugar out of it, you can put in some more sugar, shake, and store again using the same method.

Following are recipes for making vanilla sugar cookies, made with and without eggs. Once you master these basic recipes, you can try out different combination of your own, using other innovative ideas.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup of softened butter
• 1 cup of vanilla sugar
• 1 egg
• A pinch of salt

Method of Preparation
The oven should be preheated to 350 degrees F. Now, in a bowl, beat sugar and butter together to form a homogeneous mixture. Next, add the egg and salt and continue beating to form a smooth mixture. Slowly, add flour to this mixture and form a semisolid dough. You can even knead it with your hands to make it homogeneous. Grease the baking dish and spoon balls onto it. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of vanilla sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup of buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda

Method of Preparation
The oven should be preheated to 425 degrees F. Now, in a large bowl, put the sugar and butter, and beat to form a smooth mixture. Add buttermilk and flour to this mixture and mix well. Next, add baking powder, soda, salt, and mix to form a homogeneous mixture.

If the mixture is too thick, you can add some more buttermilk. If too thin, you can add some more sugar. Now, grease the baking sheet and spoon cookies on the dish directly.

Or, you can even roll cookies with your hands and place them on the sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Take them out and serve. You can even sprinkle them with sugar if you wish.

If you are looking for vanilla bean substitute, then you can have 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract per 2 cups of sugar. I hope, with these recipes, you must have found that making this sugar, and using it in recipes, is very easy and simple. So make the sugar and cookies immediately and surprise your kids. Good luck!