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freshly baked homemade vanilla wafers made with sourdough
Molly LaFontaine

Soft Sourdough Vanilla Wafers

5 from 1 vote
My sourdough vanilla wafers are softer than boxed but similar in flavor! They're made with simple steps and wholesome ingredients. I love using them to make homemade banana pudding! I hope this recipe helps you replace store-bought vanilla wafers in your home, just like it has in ours!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chilling 10 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 30 to 32 vanilla wafers
Step-By-Step Mode

Ingredients
  

  • 8 Tbsp butter, melted (I use Kirkland's grass-fed salted butter)
  • 1/3 cup pure cane sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 Tbsp sourdough discard (or fed starter works)
  • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract (I like Walmart’s Great Value brand, don't use imitation vanilla)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder (I use aluminum-free)
  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I use organic, unbleached)

Instructions

  1. Add melted butter and cane sugar into a mixing bowl. Mix with an electric mixer on medium-speed for 1-2 minutes.
  2. Add egg, mix until completely combined.
  3. Add sea salt, sourdough discard, vanilla extract, and baking powder. Mix until combine on a low-medium-speed.
  4. Add flour, a little at a time, and mix on medium-high speed until completely incorporated. The dough will be soft!
    NOTE: If it won’t combine your starter was less hydrated than mine. Add 1 Tbsp milk. If your dough is excessively sticky your starter was more hydrated. Add 1-2 Tbsp extra flour.
  5. Chill dough in the fridge for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 10 minutes. Do not skip this step! 
    Optional: If you’d like to long ferment the dough for more fermentation benefits (the cultures will ferment all other ingredients) chill, covered, in the fridge for 12-48 hours before baking. You don’t have to do this, it’s completely optional!
  6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet pan with parchment paper.
  7. Use a small spoon to scoop 1-2 tsp of dough into your hand, roll it into a ball, and lightly press your hands together to flatten. Place on prepared sheet pan 1-inch apart from one another. Repeat until all dough is used up.
  8. Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown on the bottom, they’ll be soft. Remove from oven and let cool on a cooling rack. They’ll firm up a little after cooling. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • This recipe was developed for the cookies to be used in my banana pudding recipe. If you'd like them a little sweeter, add 1/2 cup of pure cane sugar instead of 1/3 cup.
  • You can double, triple, and even quadruple this recipe if desired.
  • Please see blog post for storage information and serving ideas.
 
Did you make this recipe? – Please leave a comment below or share a photo on social media! If you share a photo be sure to tag me @plumbranchhome
 
Sourdough Baking Disclaimer – I regularly feed my sourdough starter a 2:1 ratio of unbleached flour to filtered water, this creates a 50% hydrated starter even when I use discard. If you feed your starter differently, results may vary due to a different hydration which will cause a different consistency. No matter how you feed your starter just ensure it’s a thick consistency when you use it for my recipes, even if you’re using discard.
 
A Note From Molly – This recipe was developed and tested by me, NEVER AI (artificial intelligence). My recipes here on Plum Branch Home are created with purpose and cherished in our own home. What you see from Plum Branch Home is real. It’s made for a reason, tested, and loved!
 
Here at Plum Branch Home we’re serving God by loving our families one simple, wholesome, made from scratch recipe at a time!
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