Waffle Iron Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Bean Glaze
I almost accidentally murdered my brother and his fiance, Lea, last night. They were staying in our guest room while in town for the Arcade Fire concert, and came home well after I was already asleep. As it turned out, they opened the front door at the exact moment that I was having a nightmare about someone breaking into the house to steal Lily (yes, I might need a therapist). So, the door chimed loudly as it opened, Buster jumped off the bed and started barking, and I went straight into full panic mode. Like, screaming bloody murder. In that moment, I truly thought that I was in the middle of a baby-snatching invasion.
Jake took my screams as a sign that something was dramatically wrong, so he jumped into action, too, sprinting toward the staircase and screaming himself. By the time we were both awake enough to realize who the intruders were, we were halfway down the stairs and they were plastered against the wall with shocked faces, wondering what the heck was wrong with us. They're lucky I didn't have my pepper spray in hand (and they're really lucky I don't keep a loaded gun under my pillow)! I have a feeling the next time they are in Pittsburgh, they'll couch surf at my dad's house. I wouldn't blame them.
Before the concert and subsequent home invasion, they kept Lily home from school yesterday to play with her and to practice taking care of a 3-year-old. Which I loosely compare to when a wealthy, well-fed person spends a week doing the food stamp challenge: the participant feels accomplished in the end but leaves with very little knowledge of the actual situation they are trying to emulate (she didn't even bother to puke, pee her pants, or throw a major tantrum in a public place). BUT, in this specific situation, it all worked out for the best because Lily had a great time, Dan and Lea experienced enough booger picking/eating to last them until they have a kid of their own, and Jake and I woke up to the kid crying this morning because she is going to miss them so much. Super cute.
SO, after all that, I think everyone deserves a cookie fresh from the oven waffle iron. While one could argue that making them on a cookie sheet in the oven is just as easy, I would argue that it a) isn't as good in the summer when you don't want to turn the oven on, b) doesn't have the nooks and crannies to hold the vanilla bean glaze, and c) needs to be rolled and cookie-cuttered (?) to look this cool, which is decidedly not quick and easy. So, there you go. But if you are making these, you'll have to play around with your waffle maker to see which heat settings work best. Once you have that down, you really can't go wrong!
Waffle Iron Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Bean Glaze
For the cookies: 2½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon sea salt ¾ cup unsalted butter (1½ sticks) 1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs, room temperature 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the glaze: 2 Tbsp whole milk 1 vanilla bean pinch of sea salt 1 cup powdered sugar Sprinkles for topping
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.
In an electric mixer (or with a hand mixer) beat the butter on low until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue beating for until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for about 30 seconds after each addition (scraping the sides as needed). Add the vanilla and combine.
Slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and carefully mix until just combined (don’t over-mix).
Preheat your waffle maker to medium-low. Place a heaping spoonful of batter onto the center of each waffle segment. Close the lid and bake the cookies for about 1-2 minutes (depending on your cookies and waffle maker. You will need to experiment with your machine to see what works best). Remove the cookies when they are just starting to turn golden. If you overcook they will get hard quickly, so keep an eye on them. Transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
In a separate bowl, combine milk, salt, and vanilla bean seeds until combined. Slowly add the powdered sugar until everything is well combined. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies and top with sprinkles while they’re still wet. Allow glaze to dry before stacking.
Source: The Blonde Buckeye
